Through The Eyes of The Warriors
by Scuttlest
Summary: Chaos was defeated and the cycle broken. Yet by divine wish, steel would clash and magic would struggle once more.
1. Prologue

**My other Dissidia story ended just a little over a week ago, and I'm already writing something new?**

**Actually, I developed the general concept of this story while writing "The Previous Cycle", but... I didn't want two stories running concurrently with each other. The story itself was inspired somewhat loosely by 012's announcement, before we had any character announcements besides Kain and Lightning.**

**What precisely is this story about? Read and see.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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_And so the war came to its conclusion._

"Yes it has." Cid of the Lufaine responded to Shinryu's ethereal voice, "And I feel only regret for allowing it to be started. It was a meaningless venture, and Chaos himself was defeated."

_The power of Discord is limited, Cid. We should have foreseen that. The Cosmos Warriors… they have shown us the truth._

"We need the Cycle no longer, Shinryu. You need not resurrect them again. Best to let them rest in peace."

_One of them… yes. But the other…_

"Shinryu?" Cid, now a disembodied spirit, took note of the change of disposition in the divine dragon.

_At the end of the war, we saw, you saw, Chaos power could only grow so much. Even if I were to grant him my power, they would still outstrip him._

"Shinryu, what are you getting at?"

_I am… fascinated, Cid. This possibility, did it cross your mind as Chaos was defeated? If, rather then the gods, we instead focused our intentions on these… warriors?_

"Shinryu, the war is over. Chaos is defeated, they have returned to their rightful places. I have no further need of the war, as such, you are freed from your duty to recreate it."

_This isn't about what you desire, Cid. I told you, the possibilities of this angle fascinates me. A war seen through the eyes of the warriors, I must see it, I must be there, so once more, I shall…_

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The Edge of Madness. Now a broken version of what it once was, the magma hardened into rock, the pillar the throne sat on was shattered by the battle that had taken place. The scars and wounds were evident, the gaping hole in the middle, where Chaos had been engulfed, but in Shinryu's eyes, it was trivial, the final outcome of an incorrect way of looking at the Cycle. An grievous error he would rectify, not for the sake of the ultimate weapon, but simply… to see.

Shinryu wrapped his serpentine bottom half around the pillar that formed the base of Chaos' Throne, his two arms calmly at his side, he felt the mystic energy seeping out of his mouth, he reared back for a moment, then thrust his head down and let his breath escape him.

The Edge of Madness was coated with the divine energy of Shinryu's essence. Not just the throne, as the energy poured over the edges, and into the hardened magma. The broken throne molded itself into a form more fitting for the Divine Dragon.

Silver steel adorned the new landscape, matching the dragon's scales. What had once been the Edge of Madness, a throne to entropy, was now a shrine to its creator: Shinryu.

The center of the room contained a raised stand, upon it was a large crystal, cut from the same cloth as Garland's dark crystal, this black crystal rested in the podium. Shinryu's body encircled this crystal, wrapping around it, with Shinryu's main body wrapping around the summit of the crystal.

With his head up above it, he summoned energy through his arms, at once a distortion in the air appeared before him, concentrating into fourteen different points of blue energy. After a moment, the energy solidified into crystals, fourteen crystals.

_You who bear souls of strength. Come forth, show me a true… war._

The energy around the fourteen crystals surged, drawing essence, drawing… souls, to them. Then, suddenly, they shattered, the energy gathered now bound to this world. Eleven warriors materialized before Shinryu's eyes.

They were the former Chaos Warriors, the ten that had manipulated events in ways even he had not forseen in the last cycle. Then the eleventh, coated in Arcadian steel, he too had learned the truth, but these eleven alone…

_No. Not enough. To see the world through the eyes of the Warrior's… I require, more._

Shinryu turned his attention to the shattered remnants of the crystals, he charged his energy through the air, allowing it to surge through the energy of the shards. The dragon's divine energy flowing through them, a greater summon began to take place, but not here.

Off in the distance, Shinryu witnessed beams of light crashing to the ground, attempting to summon from the fractured crystals had resulted in the destination of the new warriors to be… off, from where he intended.

_A minor inconvenience. Allies shall seek out allies, those of Cosmos, and those of my cloth, shall see them, shall bring them… to war._

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At Order's Sanctuary, the crystal's strength shined bright, and ten warriors materialized. The heroes who had saved existence itself from Chaos' endless misery and solitude, but they were not meant to return here.

"This is…" The Warrior of Light felt his eyes absorb his surroundings, a mere two years ago he had seen Cosmos die on this very spot.

"Not again." Squall narrowed his eyes, looking around, he saw all the familiar faces.

Yes, all ten of the Cosmos Warriors had returned to Order's Sanctuary, but a proper reunion would have to wait, each was too confused by the return, and then suddenly one single word pierced the air.

"Cosmos!"

The warriors all turned around in response to the Warrior of Light's yell, Cosmos was by her throne, on the ground, limp.

The Warrior of Light ran past his comrades to reach Cosmos, lying on her side in the shallow water. He moved his arms under her, picking her up, with one arm under her abdomen region and the other on her upper back. With a soft moan, she opened her eyes and turned towards the Warrior.

"It's… you…" Cosmos gasped, seemingly wounded by something. "I had hoped that… this would be… over… that you wouldn't… have to… fight again…"

"Cosmos, what has happened? Why are we back?" The Warrior of Light tried not to sound too demanding or forceful, in respect to the pain she seemed to be in, but moreso just in regards to who she was.

"Someone is trying… to restart the war. They've likely… succeeded already… seeing as you're here…"

"What, who?" Firion came up beside Cosmos and the Warrior of Light. "It isn't the Emperor, is it? He's cheated death before."

"I do not know…" Cosmos' body suddenly contorted, forcing the Warrior of Light to restrain her movements until her body calmed back down. "I've… felt this pain ever… since I sensed you… were returning…"

Cosmos breathed heavily and leaned her head back, "Someone… doesn't want… the gods present… for this… battle…"

"So… we have to fight another war, just like last time?" Cloud shook his head, "Another battle…"

"Not… quite… the same…" Cosmos gasped and tried to raise her head back up, Firion knelt down and helped her head up with his hand. "I've sensed… more Warriors… it's not just… the twenty from… the last war…"

Suddenly, almost in response to that statement, a beam of light pierced the sky above the ten warriors, the beam came down and impacted the ground, forcing the shallow water away from it. The light condensed on the ground, and then entirely vanished, in it's place was a small female figure.

"Shan…to…tto…" Cosmos gasped, in response, the small figure raced to the goddess. "There isn't much… time… there are other… Warriors… who didn't appear… so close… you must find… th-"

Cosmos closed her eyes and rolled her head to the side, panic briefly hit the Warrior of Light, but after a moment she suddenly drew breath, the Warrior realized she only passed out. Gently, he picked her up and brought her to her throne, laying her peacefully in front of the throne itself. Standing up, he turned around to address the others.

"She spoke of others besides us who have been drawn to this world, we should find them. She spoke of someone trying to start the war anew, we must stop him, or her, now." The Warrior of Light bowed his head, then turned his attention to the smaller figure.

"And you? Cosmos called you Shantotto, correct?"

"Yes, I'm a Tarutaru Black Mage, and for the sake of Cosmos, I'll fight without demanding a wage."

"A Tarutaru? What is-" The Warrior of Light paused a moment, then shook his head, "Nevermind, I shouldn't pry into a comrades world. You will help us as a mage?"

"Why yes I-"

"Hey." The Warrior of Light and Shantotto broke off of their conversation as Cloud approached them. "Do you have any idea who we're facing now?" Cloud looked at the ground, "Cosmos mentioned "the twenty", so I think our old enemies are back, but who else might be fighting for them? And… who's leading them?"

The Warrior of Light paused momentarily, then responded "I don't know the answer to any question. But when we find the person leading them, we'll find the person who's restarted the war." Looking to the distance, the Warrior saw beams of light falling from the sky above. Turning around, he glimpsed at Cosmos again, the thought of leaving her here like that, alone… he felt something churn in his gut. Still, she had said to find others, and he would obey.

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Shinryu remain coiled around the single black crystal in his lair, what was once the Edge of Madness. It was now known as Divinity's Center. The dragon closed his eyes and channeled his power through the Goddess of Harmony. Her presence was there for the time being, but she would take no part in the war, he would prevent any of the Chaos Warriors, rechristened as the Shinryu Warriors, from harming her. Yet no god would interfere with what he had set in motion.

Opening his eyes once more, Shinryu looked out toward the distance, it might take quite some time before the war truly began again. Plenty of time for some testing of virtues…

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**If you'll note, I did kinda ignore just how casually Cid and Cosmos were talking in the secret ending, but whatever.**

**Expect updates. I've got big plans for this story.**

**Take note that I'm not writing a full "war".**

**Please review.**


	2. X The Summoner & The Insane Maester

**After procastinating for... quite some time. I seem to have finally gotten my hands on Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep.**

**And here I was, getting upset about getting spoiled about Aqua becoming "Master Aqua". I didn't think that event happened within the first 15 minutes.**

**Anyway, as for my fic, after reading this chapter, you'll get a handle on what things will be like for a while.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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_The memories of those who have faded…_

Yuna stirred awake, feeling a cold rush of air flow across her fair skin. She turned over, trying to get comfortable, only for a rock to uncomfortably press into her hip. With a sigh she opened her eyes, but the sight that greeted her was one she had not expected.

Her summoner attire was ragged and filthy from lying on this dirt ground, she picked herself up to a sitting position. With a blink of her eyes, an illusion of the dream she had dreamt faded from her sight, but the person in the dream resonated strongly in the deep recesses of her heart.

_Tidus…_

With a sigh she got to her feet, bringing a hand down she patted the gown of her attire to shake the loose bits and fragments of dust out, her other hand was firmly wrapped around her staff. With a look to her surroundings, she recognized the area, this is where they had finally brought Seymour down, where she had "sent" him.

The fact that she was here brushed confusion through her, her last memory had been going to sleep back in a comfortable bed. A small jab of worry about herself hit her heart, she had Aeons, yes, but no Guardians. If she were to encounter Fiends here… she might not survive it.

She couldn't stay here, either. She had to get back, return to Besaid, or Luca, or somewhere safer, she turned a glance around, there were no signs of anyone, the place looked like no one had been there since that battle. Pausing, she tried to recall the process of getting back, but shook her head, it had been too long, with little choice she began to walk off in a random direction.

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Zidane didn't really mind doing Cosmos' will, really, he didn't. It's just that if it's not a treasure hunt, then some _directions_ would be appreciated. Now he found himself wandering through an ethereal location, like something his… father, would be in. That Garland… he smirked at the thought of Garland fighting the Garland that the Warrior of Light knew. Placing his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner, he entertained himself with images of Garland being telekinetically thrown around, and Garland being pummeled with that club…sword… _thing_.

His smile faded when he heard a small sound, like a woman's cry. He brought his arms back down but perked his lip back up into a grin, saving ladies in need was a specialty of his. Reached his arms to his hips, he brought out the two daggers just in case he was about to fight someone.

The light in the area glistened and reflected off the blades as he ran, twirling the daggers all the while. He charged through the area, weaving through various corridors and railings, until he finally came upon the originator of the sound.

A woman indeed, though she was standing up and dusting herself off. A quick look at a disturbed rock behind her, and the fact that she was keeping her left leg bent, like it had been injured, told him that the woman must have tripped. With a slight feeling of disappointment over being unable to be a big hero for this… rather nice looking girl, he put his daggers away, not wanting her to get the wrong idea at a guy walking up to her carrying knives.

With his daggers back in their holsters, he moved toward her, she noticed him quickly, and she was immediately on the defensive. With a staff in her hands, which somehow reminded him of Garnet's own weapon, she turned to him and backed away, shifting uncomfortably on the leg that she must have hurt when she tripped.

"Who are you?" A mixture of forcefulness and defensiveness was present in her voice, and the tone somehow gave the message that she was more then capable of fighting for herself. That was okay, Zidane had no reason to want to fight her…

"Easy there, I'm… uh… a good guy." He smiled as coyly as possible, trying to appear as innocent and friendly as possible. A few quick, almost skittish movements from him, and she began to relax.

"I'm Zidane, a Warrior of Cosmos, and you are…?"

"Warrior of… what?" The girl raised an eyebrow in curiosity, too many strange things had been happening to her for the last hour. She paused for a moment, then remembered Zidane's question. "Yuna. My name is Yuna."

"Well then, dear Yuna…" his smile melted to a more casual one. "The Warriors of Cosmos are these selected heroes, like me, who fight for Cosmos, the Goddess of Harmony."

"So… you fight for a deity?" Yuna paused, images of the hypocrisy of Yu Yevon flashed through her mind, the hypocrisy and the cruelty. She shook her head to dissuade herself, not every spiritual belief would be like Yevon had been.

"Yep. The Warriors are kinda… selected from all the worlds. It's kind of an urgent situation, so people just sorta vanish from their own worlds to appear here."

"Just… vanish?" Yuna felt her heart drain, suspecting that the only reason she was here was because she was selected. Selected to fight for someone she had no prior understanding of, then another thought hit her, the simple possibility made her heart almost soar out of her chest with the possibility.

She brought her arms out and clasped them onto Zidane's shoulders. The movement clearly discomforted the Warrior as he almost took a step back at the sudden rush movement.

"Do you… do you know someone named Tidus?"

A pause. Zidane's eyes moved to the side as he tried to think of something. Yuna's hope began to falter, starting to expect the answer to be "no". She should have known, she realized as her head bowed down, it was a false hope, it was-

"A blitz ball player with a mouth?" Before the sentence was even completely uttered, Yuna's eyes widened with surprise, and the nagging feeling on her heart, about the possibility and the likelihood of being told "no" disappeared entirely. Her head snapped back up, and her heart fluttering at the thought of seeing her ace again.

"That's him!" Yuna suddenly began shaking Zidane from his shoulders. The happiness she was feeling was uncontainable, all her feelings of directionless and depression without him was melting away. "Where is he? Where is he!"

"Whoa, easy there!" Zidane pulled back until Yuna's hands slid off of his shoulders. With a disappointed sigh at the fact that she seemed to already be taken, he took a step forward. "We're kinda spread out right now, but if you stick with me, we'll find him."

Yuna nodded, remaining unable to deny or repress the joy of hope exploding out of her chest.

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"An endless cycle of sorrow and misery destined to repeat itself…" A man walked calmly by the replica of Jecht's sword placed at Dream's End. Clothed in the attire of a Maester, the man's steps moved him away from the sword.

"Death can be the only salvation, the only release from the turmoil and agony of this despair." Seymour Guado repeated the philosophy and understanding he had come to believe in. Even through defeat, even though Braska's daughter had sent him, he retained his eternal belief, for even if he fell, even if "heroes" won, the sorrow would prevail. That was his belief, the thing he perceived as the one unshakable truth of existence itself.

"And what cycle is it that you speak of?" An unfamiliar voice spoke. Seymour paused and turned around, a man had been standing behind him, clad in knightly armor. The figure marched forward in slow strides, each step let the figure's metal boots plant firmly into the ground, until finally coming to a stop in front of Seymour.

"Peace through the end of all…" The knight held out a hand, summoning a black orb. No, not an orb, it seemed more like a portal of some sort, with nothing on the other side, just nothing. "Perhaps you seek the Void's endless strength."

"Endless…" Seymour repeated before turning away, his eyes shut, he repeated what he believed was truth. "Life is but a passing dream, but the death that follows is eternal."

"Endless." They both spoke in unison, the knight drew his hand back, the portal to the Void remained in the air for a moment before shrinking. Growing increasingly smaller until it vanished, as if it had never been there.

"I am Exdeath." The figure identified itself, "It would seem you have begun down the path of understanding, but enlightenment shall elude you, so long as you do not understand the Void."

"The Void?" Seymour opened his eyes once more, setting his vision on the knight, Exdeath. "The only salvation, the only way to save the souls of the world, is to release them from this life. I do not need your "Void"."

He attempted to turn and leave, but a metal hand firmly grasped his shoulder. He did not turn back, even as the claws dug into his shoulder blade.

"Yet you do need power to realize your visions." Seymour felt like someone had landed a blow to his gut at Exdeath's words. It was true, at this point, he needed more power. "I can help you achieve it."

Slowly, Seymour turned back to face Exdeath. His lips gave way to a frown at the proposition that had been laid out for him, he had little desire for an alliance with Exdeath, but right now…

"What would you ask of me, then?" Seymour spoke the words as he walked past Exdeath, folding his arms across his chest. "I assure you, my ambitions and yours are opposite."

"What would I ask of you?" A chuckle emanated from under Exdeath's helm. "It is a simple thing in all senses…"

Exdeath waved his hand, summoning a portal through the void. The black beckoning emptiness seeped out of the gate, inviting all into it. Exdeath made another gesture, encouraging Seymour to step into it.

"All I ask, is that you become part of the Warriors of Shinryu."

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**Please review.**


	3. IX The Prototype Mage & The Loyal Knight

**Huh. We get Laguna confirmed for 012 now.**

**I'm not... upset. Not exactly. I just would have sooner assumed that a secondary VIII hero would have been Rinoa. Or maaaaybe Zell.**

**Though Rinoa might be a tad hard to translate into the game. What with her weird wrist-mounted boomerang... thing. Even if she's more likely to have a fighting style more reflective of her Sorceress powers I still feel she'd be a bit tricky to pull off.**

**On an off-note. While Birth by Sleep is a good game, it's kinda annoyingly short as well. Both Terra and Ventus' scenarios went down very quickly. Now to start Aqua's story, I really hope a magic playstyle can work better then in I, II, and Days, otherwise this is going to be very painful.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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People were just actors. Hiding their true selves. In the end, all it took was a little push before ugly desires were revealed. Kuja was all too familiar with this truth.

Floating through the air of the Crystal World, he searched for any sign of a new Warrior of Shinryu. Circling around the majestic crystals, he spun and twisted his body as he curved around, projecting his love of flair and his own narcissism.

The orbs of energy that circled around him gave testimony to his glory, so much that he had to remind himself of what he was here to do. A new Warrior of Shinryu was supposed to have appeared in this familiar local. His lips faded from a self-absorbed smirk and turned to a scowl as he continued his search, he looked and looked, but he saw no signs of anyone here. Nor any sign of anyone having been here.

Then something caught his eye.

A woman was pacing in a hidden corner at the base of one of the larger crystals. It was a clever hiding spot, the location could only be viewed from a bird's eye if looked at from just the right vantage point. With a simple change to the flow of his magical energy, he dove down to the location of this strange woman.

The possibility of the chance that the woman was hiding from something never even crossed his mind. Not this woman, her pride was fearsome, but she was an easily played instrument as well, just like her queen.

"I had thought to find a graceful flower… instead I find a-"

"Go away, Kuja." The woman, that is, Beatrix, dismissed Kuja instantly. "Or… are you responsible for me being here?"

"My, what a fiery dame." Kuja smiled at the general's outright refusal to talk to him unless she had to. The fact that she and her knights had been upstaged by Kuja and his Black Mages certainly had something to do with her attitude towards him.

"I suppose both "yes" and "no" answer your question, but I came with… orders." Kuja weaved magical energy through him, focusing on the space in front of his face. After a moment, he let a hand move forward as shadows of energy began to appear in the air, black flames giving way to rich red ones, until they dissipated, leaving a single piece of parchment hovering in place.

With a simple point of his finger toward Beatrix, the paper moved toward the general of Alexandria. Snatching it out of the air, Beatrix began to read the letters, authored by her own queen.

Well, not quite. Though the letter was indeed signed by Queen Brahne, it was completely and wholly a creation of the silver-haired mage, even the signature.

The contents of the letter were simple. An order to place herself under Kuja and do his bidding until Beatrix and the queen met in person once more. Of course, if Kuja had his way, and he was assured that he would, Beatrix would never again see Queen Brahne or Alexandria, in fact, she'd never see Gaia again.

With a hiss from her lips at what she had been ordered to do, Beatrix crumpled the letter in her fist and tossed it away. With a seething twist of her head toward Kuja, her words were dripping with venom and spite.

"Hurry up and give me an order. What do I do first?"

"Oh, right now?" Kuja lifted himself up in the air and swayed an arm in front of him. A portal opened up before them, a gate to Shinryu's nest of divinity. "For right now, I'd advise you to greet the people who shall be your allies. You have no further duties until the first act begins."

Beatrix paused, realizing that she had never seen Kuja open a portal like this. Slowly, reluctant to be forced to view Kuja as a superior, she walked into the portal. She had no way of telling what was awaiting her on the other side, but after the portal closed behind her, there could have been no turning back.

The place she was in now, was unlike any place she had ever been before. She gazed upward to see an enormous black crystal, with an even larger dragon coiled around it, but her attention was diverted away at the sight of people gathered around the dragon. At first glance, she postulated that they might be worshippers of the dragon, but the thought died when she got a good look at them.

The figures all turned to look at her as the portal closed. With a deep breath, she opened her mouth to speak.

"I am general Beatrix of Alexandria… Kuja sent me."

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Why did he exist? What was his reason? Could he even prove that he existed? Questions like these always seemed to plague the young black mage.

He was… different from the other black mages. He thought, he felt, he dreamed, the others were Kuja's vanguard, his own enforcers. Yet he… no, he didn't believe that. He had little faith in himself, and if he didn't believe in himself, how could he believe in much of anything?

Vivi Orunitia. A black mage gifted with life that the other black mages would never be able to enjoy, but his thoughts plagued him with questions. The whos, whats, whys, hows, ifs, and maybes of the world haunted his youthful mind. Not to mention that he had been tricked so many times… he was gullible, truly.

Vivi walked slowly on the deck of the Prima Vista. It was completely devoid of life as it soared through the air, no indication or implication of the group that used it, Tantalus.

After a moment of looking across the deck, he lowered his head back down and began to move again. It was to his surprise, then, for a voice to suddenly cry out.

"Hey!" Vivi's head bolted upright and he suddenly spun around. A man, one he hadn't spotted, was running toward him. Half-tempted to run, but curious about what this person wanted, Vivi stayed in place until the distance was closed.

"Augh, way too much running for one day." The man suddenly plopped down in front of Vivi, generating a confused tilt of the head from the mage. Yet the man also smiled in an oddly reassuring way, enough to make Vivi relax.

"So, what's your name?" The older man asked.

"Vivi." He wanted to back away, if only to keep himself safe, but somehow he felt he was safer near this man. It was an odd, unexplainable feeling.

"I'm Tidus." The man, Tidus, gave a relaxed friendly tilt of his head, a far cry from the confused feeling Vivi would feel when he tilted his head. "Hey, you, uh… think it's kinda lonely out here?"

Vivi's words seem to catch themselves in his throat. Those that pried their way through attached to the roof of his mouth, with these odd feeling of speechlessness from being so casually offered a chance to meet someone, he could only nod in agreement.

"Good!" Tidus sprang back to his feet in a single movement. "Come on Vivi, the only way to make this existence better is as the Warriors of Cos-"

"How do you know we exist?" Vivi spoke, the words froze Tidus in his tracks. Seeming not to notice, Vivi bowed his head down. "Maybe we don't exist…"

Tidus remained paused where he was standing. His mind was racing for something to say, but he didn't seem to have anything, instead he was forced to settle for a scratch across the back of his head.

"Well, that's thinking a bit too deeply for me, but perhaps one of the other guys can help you with that question." He careened his upper body around to look back at Vivi, another one of his smiles present. "That's the sort of question you can ask Cloud or Zidane or Ter-"

"Zidane?" Vivi's ears perked up at the familiar name. The thief that he met so long ago, a familiar face would be appreciated right now. "You know Zidane?"

"Yeah, he's with us." Tidus continued to smile. If Vivi knew someone among the Warriors of Cosmos, it would make things a lot easier. His smile began to vanish as his thoughts strayed to the possibility of someone he knew waiting for him when he returned with Vivi. "Come on, let's go. Life's always easier with some people to smile with." Tidus ran off in the direction he came from, after a second of deliberation, Vivi followed.

_A reason to exist… _The thought flashed through the black mage's mind. He wasn't sure if he might be given a reason. Something to live for, but maybe…

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**I've never played IX, so the personalities might be a bit skewed. Vivi might be a bit overly emo here.**

**In terms of character selection, I'm more of a "variety is key" sort of guy. As such, seeing as we had Yuna, who was a white mage/summoner hybrid, I made a point to not choice Garnet, who is also a white mage/summoner hybrid.**

**Please review.**


	4. VIII The Duelist & The Sorceress Knight

**I believe that a plot would be too complicated if there are too many love interests. As such, I'm not using Rinoa here, don't expect the VII hero to be Tifa or Aerith either. Yuna is the only love interest I'm using.**

**And in all honesty, I always had a fondness for the VIII hero I choose.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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Balamb Garden had become the mobile headquarters for the most elite fighting force in the world. SeeD. As the base floated through the air, none could doubt that. Yet despite the rightfully strong combatants it trained, Balamb Garden's might, truthfully, came from a core six.

As the morning sunlight began to filter through the dorms, illuminating the rooms that remained devoid of artificial light at this time, one of the core six began to awaken. A spiky haired blonde fist-fighter with an overly casual demeanor for a mercenary, at the sign of light he suddenly sprung out of bed and into the hallway.

_I got up early. That should let me finally get one._

The cafeteria's hot dogs were the best in Zell's eyes, and stomach. As he raced down the hallway, passing door after door, he finally reached what he was looking for. So excited about waking up early for the sake of the food, that he failed to notice that the Garden, while still moving, was completely devoid of life.

As he busted into the cafeteria, he swiftly sped up to the counter and banged an arm on the counter. After several seconds of no one coming, he finally noticed that the area was effectively deserted.

"Where the hell is everyone?" Zell looked around the cafeteria, every area looking as devoid of life as the next.

"Great." He sighed and lightly placed his head on the counter. "I wake up early to catch one damned hot dog, and this is what happens."

Raising his head back up, he swiftly stormed away from the counter, planning on looking for someone. This was bordering on the side of eerie for him, even this early in the day, this place should have been bustling with students and faculty. He was almost at the doors when the suddenly opened, a woman on the other side.

"O-oh!" The girl recoiled at the sight of Zell, but didn't leave the doorway. "Excuse me, I'm Terra, and you are…?"

"Zell." He paused after he named himself. It took a moment, but a couple of illogical points connected in his mind after thinking for a while. "Wait, your clearly not a student here, and no one here would be unaware of who I am, really."

"Oh, uh, that is…" Terra's defense seemed to catch itself in her throat. She wasn't afraid of Zell, but she did have to convince him to follow her back to Cosmos, that wouldn't be easy if she gave her any reason to distrust him. "I… I just… wandered by."

"You managed to… wander… onto a floating military academy?" Zell paused, momentarily he realized that the words came out slightly more sarcastically then he meant them to be. "Never mind, do you want something from me?"

"Can you… come with me?"

And then there was a moment where she wished she could take the words back. At least, find a better way to word her request, she could feel a psychological weight pressing on her, her heart knotting up and her breath catching itself.

"If I follow you, will I figure out why everyone's vanished?"

"Um… yes!" At least she didn't need to feel like she was lying with her last sentence.

Zell crossed his arms and frowned, not wanting to throw himself too willingly into something when there were rules he could follow.

"If… if Squall was here… he'd have been able to convince you." Terra bowed her head as her hope that she had convinced Zell began to die away. With her head bowed, she failed to notice Zell's expression suddenly perk up at the mention of Squall's name.

"Wait, you know Squall?" Zell raised an eyebrow as Terra's head shot back up. He uncrossed his arms, though he retained a slightly skeptical expression. Someone who knew Squall wasn't anything spectacular, but she had worded that question like she knew him personally.

He lowered his head as he thought the situation out. She seemed to know Squall personally, yet didn't know Zell at all. Probably didn't know Irvine, Selphie, or any of the others either. How much of her words he believed was still up in the air, but he was willing to take a chance.

"Okay, if you know Squall, take me to him."

"Huh?" Terra studied Zell's expression for several moments, until she managed to process what he had said.

It was… liberating. All the doubts and worries about the encounter seemed to ebb and withdraw, if only somewhat. Not vocally answering him, just nodding her head, she left the cafeteria, followed shortly thereafter by Zell.

* * *

Seifer sighed as he leaned at the base of a pillar in the clock tower. He had never been here before, but he could sense, on some level, that he had encountered whoever it was that dwelt here.

No, nonsense. He was certain he had never actually met a person who looked like he, or she, would have resided in such a place. All he really knew was that incessant and recurring ticking sound was starting to grate on his nerves.

He stood up, giving a dismissive shrug toward the clock tower as he began to walk off.

_Let that chickenwuss spend all day in here._

He smirked at the memory of the rough-mouthed, but also very respectful to authority little Balamb duelist. He could barely be called worth Seifer's time, let Squall put up with him, drive the leather-bound commander insane.

He didn't hate Squall, but he was somewhat… agitated, that Squall had achieved Seifer's dream, whereas Seifer had been deceived.

Sorceress Knight. To be a knight that defended a Sorceress, that had been his dream, but he had failed to become the sort of knight that a Sorceress Knight was supposed to be. The Knight who valiantly defended his Sorceress, who was the partner and trusted ally of the Sorceress.

Seifer thought he had achieved it. He thought.

Edea… she had just been using him, or rather, the person who had possessed Adel had just been using him. And he had assisted in nearly leading the world into eternal slavery to a Sorceress from the far flung future.

A sigh escaped him, he still beat himself over that. It was over and done with, but it wasn't easy to let go, what he did.

Squall on the other hand, had become a true Sorceress Knight. He defended his Sorceress, Rinoa, would defend her to the death. Killing Rinoa would be just about impossible for anyone, Seifer knew first hand what the taciturn Squall was capable of, skill that, perhaps, only Seifer could match.

They were rivals, after all. Though the last time they had fought one-on-one had been… the parade, right?

So lost in his memories and recollections, his thoughts about all that had happened, that he failed to notice the figure float up behind him.

"You've lost your purpose." A unfamiliar, but female, voice suddenly spoke. "Without it, you are no better then vagabond drifting in the darkness."

Seifer spun around, raising an eyebrow at the sight in front of him. There was a woman floating in the air, but that wasn't the significant thing. There were strands of a black energy emitting from her, and two tentacles ending with snake-like heads seemed to sprout off of her body.

This woman… somehow she projected fear and terror, but Seifer had seen too much in his life to be much impressed. She'd have to try much harder then this to unsettle the gunblade wielder, so instead of back away, Seifer tilted his head to the side with an amused expression on his face.

"So what makes you think I've lost my purpose?" Seifer shrugged his shoulders, Hyperion firmly gripped in one hand, ready to cut down the woman if she tried anything. "I still have my pride, and my dreams, and I keep walking away from my trials."

The figure, that Cloud of Darkness, did not immediately respond, merely shaking her head, almost seeming to pity the gunblade specialist.

"You have so little time to live, yet you try to pour some kind of meaning into it." She, or rather, it, reached a hand out, aiming to grip Seifer's shoulder. "Facinat-"

Her word was suddenly cut off as Hyperion cut through the air, forcing her to retract her arm and back away. Seifer adopted his familiar stance, pointing Hyperion straight at the Cloud of Darkness.

"So quick to defend yourself… you truly belong among those chosen by Shinryu."

Now that last sentence had unsettled Seifer to a degree. He had little understanding of a "Shinryu", though it didn't take much to assume that this creature was familiar with many things that he wasn't.

"Listen to us. We can grant you your dream… to serve alongside a Sorceress." The expression on the entity softened into a subtle smirk, its memory flashing to Ultimecia. Not a woman that a man should be happy to serve, yet the words caught Seifer's attention.

"You've caught my ear." Seifer walked several cautious steps forward, bringing himself only a few feet away from the Cloud.

"However…" Hyperion suddenly closed the distance, the tip resting only a few inches from the Cloud of Darkness' neck. "If this is a trick, you will regret it."

* * *

**Seifer is... a hard person to find an opponent for. Seeing as he can't oppose Squall due to Ultimecia. He doens't exactly have any really meaningful interactions with any of the other heroes in VIII either. Yes, he was in a relationship with Rinoa, but they only converse in VIII about two times. In Galbadia Garden **if** Rinoa is in your party, and at the Lunatic Pandora. Among the characters besides Squall, he had the most relevant antagonism with Zell, and even then, it's mostly just insults and name-calling.**

**Please review.**


	5. VII The Former Turk & The Remnant

**Picking a hero from VII is easy, picking a villain is not. The original VII had several villains besides Sephiroth, but none of the really major ones were really fight capable. As such, the villain had to be pulled from one of the sidegames of VII.**

**On an unrelated note, regarding Birth By Sleep, is it just me, or does it seem like the armors of the three heroes really lose something without the capes?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

This was deserved. There couldn't be any other way to look at it. The nightmares were the seeds his actions had sown. His failures and mistakes manifest as psychological harm.

He let the one he loved and respected the most be used like that. Such horrors and abominations. What had happened to him had meant nothing, it was his failure to protect Lucrecia that hurt the most. What had happened to _her_, there could be no excusing that, not ever.

Vincent Valentine slept in his coffin, reliving the same moments over and over again. Every time, he sees things he could have done, that he had failed to do. If he had recognized it sooner, realized what… that man, would have done, he could have stopped it. Yet he didn't, and when he learned of what was happening, that same man managed to gain an advantage over him, and use him for more of his experiments.

In self-punishment for his sins, he had taken to sleep at the mansion, the mansion where the nightmare had begun at.

What he didn't know, was that he, and his coffin, were no longer at the mansion. Now… now it was located at the remains of Shinra HQ. Resting in plain sight, it was easy for a certain Fynn rebel to spot it.

Firion might have dismissed it at first, he was looking for someone who could be a new Warrior of Cosmos, a coffin seemed irrelevant to him. It was the sheer out-of-place nature of the coffin that drew him to it. The area was in ruins, the building seemed to have collapsed quite some time ago, and the coffin seemed to have been there for only a short time.

Every time Firion's feet came down as he walked, dust was disturbed by his movements. Yet that coffin… it wasn't clean or in good condition, but it seemed to be much fairer then its surroundings.

So he walked up to the coffin and closed his fingers around the edges of the side of it, with a heave, he lifted the lid and tossed it to the side. He peered into the coffin, there was…

…there was a man in it.

He wasn't dead. He was breathing, Firion wasn't… wasn't sure of what to do here; shake the body awake, or just leave? The choice was made for him, as the man's eyes suddenly opened. He rose from his coffin and into the air with considerable speed, black flipping to land on the top-most edge of the coffin, he paused.

"Where am I?" Vincent turned his gaze around as he remained balanced on the edge. "This is… Shinra HQ."

"Excuse… me?" Firion spoke up, drawing Vincent's attention. "Are you a hero?"

"…no."

Vincent shut his eyes, his face betrayed no hint of what his thoughts had turned to, and yet it seemed to pale somewhat.

"A hero is able to protect the things he cares about."

Firion's mind flashed to his fight with someone before, and losing the rose that represented his dream.

"I nearly lost something important to Sephiroth, but I'll fight to keep it."

Vincent's eyes shot back open.

"You know Sephiroth?" He hopped down from the edge of the coffin, landing on the cold broken ground that remained of Shinra HQ. "Have you encountered him?"

"Yes." Firion held a hand out, a burst of light appeared, precluding the appearance of a floating rose. "He stole my reason to fight, if it weren't for a friend, I'd never have gotten it back."

_Friend. _Firion allowed himself a smile, the way the Warrior of Light had gone out of his way to help him with his problem. He was an admirable leader, through and through. What else would one expect of the man who served as the champion of the Light?

"I see." Vincent lowered his head and closed his eyes again, pondering this new development, a minute passed, then two, and he raised his head back up, eyes open.

"I will go with you." Vincent placed a finger on the butt of his gun. "If you know Sephiroth, then there are certain… things, that I must see."

* * *

He couldn't let Sephiroth be better in Mother's eyes. It was an unbearable thought, that Mother would want him more then…

Kadaj was in the center of the planet. The planet that was fighting against anything that Mother would do, he was in the nest of his greatest enemy. The planet that acted as the greatest enemy to Mother, attempting to undermine all of Mother's desires and dreams. The only comparable foe was… Brother.

He had to end it all, if only to make her happy.

As Kadaj walked across the floating rocks, he could feel his skin crawl. Not just with revulsion, but also with… the planet didn't approve of his very existence. Yet that didn't bother him, sooner or later, everyone who opposed Mother would meet their end. He would be the harbinger to her enemies, and in doing so, prove himself more worthy then Sephiroth in her eyes.

"Well, what do we have here?" A rough, older voice suddenly spoke up from behind Kadaj. Turning around, his eyes witnessed an aged shirtless man approaching him.

Flashing a confident smirk, Kadaj turned back around, ignoring the man. He was insignificant, meaningless, but if he tried to impede Kadaj, well…

"Hey, you should respect the ace." Jecht allowed himself to smile at the kid's indifference. "Say, what's with the outfit? Are you Sephiroth Jr.?"

Kadaj instantly snapped back around with his smirk gone when Jecht used that name. "Do you know him?"

"Sephiroth? Oh, yes." Jecht's grin began to fade. "He likes to say things I don't understand, but he's one of the few people around here who can actually fight."

"Things you don't understand?" Kadaj contemplated that for a moment. Shaking his head, looking at this guy, he surmised that there were many things that went over his head. Yet, he sounded like he knew Sephiroth all the same.

This man knew Sephiroth… the one that Mother preferred so much. Yet this person didn't seem to have anything to do with Mother at all. At first glance, he looked more like a random fool, but if he really knew Sephiroth, then the situation changed.

"Well then, can you take me to him?" Kadaj took a step forward. "I've been wanting to meet him for some time." His voice took a sudden dark turn, one that got the attention of Jecht. "If I can meet him, I can prove myself to be better then him in Mother's eyes."

"Mother?" Jecht paused for a moment, then sighed. "Sephiroth won't shut up about that whole "Mother" thing either."

"At least he's older, and can fight." Jecht let out a laugh at Kadaj's expense. "Looking at you, I'd say you're just a crybaby begging for some useless mommies' help."

"Don't you ever…" Kadaj took out his double-bladed katana, Souba, out of its sheath and pointed it firmly at Jecht. "… define Mother as "useless"."

With a smirk, Jecht suddenly charged forward and slammed a fist straight into Kadaj's chest. The Remnant flew back from the blow, but flipped through the air and landed back on his feet.

"Oh, more durable then we look?" Jecht chuckled, but Kadaj simply glared at him from a distance, his rage hidden underneath the strands of hair. "Well, better not break you before you get to meet Sephiroth, huh?"

Kadaj weighed his options. This man deserved worse then death for referring to Mother like that, but if he fought, he might lose his chance to find Sephiroth. Sephiroth had a much more profound connection to Mother then Kadaj did, if he met Sephiroth, he'd know exactly what Mother would ask of him. If he did enough for Mother, then she'd find him of greater worth. More then Sephiroth.

"Fine, take me to him."

* * *

**I didn't find AC a bad film, and Kadaj seemed like a pretty cool villain to me.**

**Well, correction, Advent Children Complete was a good film. The original always seemed a bit rushed to me.**

**Please review.**


	6. VI The ExImperial & The General

**This chapter was... a bit harder to come up with. Not due to the issue of a secondary VI villain, that part was easy, but it just seemed harder, somehow.**

**Like the IX chapter, I'll be introducing the villain first. There's no special reason for this.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

The Floating Continent. This is where Kefka had attained his godlike powers, but by that time, the man walking here had been dead. Yet, only for a short while before.

This man found himself standing by the three statues, the font of power that triggered Kefka ascent. He pressed a hand against the Goddess statue…

_Sucked dry._

Though he was no expert when it came to magic, he knew that he should have been able to feel the pulses of energy. Though ignorant on many elements of magic, being the only one who had refused to partake in the Magitek process, there were some fundamentals he knew. He felt nothing from the statue, it was empty stone, no remnant of the nearly omnipotent power it once contained. He took his hand off of it, and sighed.

He had been killed by Kefka, yes. He would never forget death's grip wrapping around him, yet here he was. He didn't understand it… perhaps this was an illusion. One of Kefka's sick jokes, or maybe this was a purgatory, and he had to be made aware of what his inaction had led to.

A sudden surge of energy was felt through the air, the man turned around as a figure began to ooze into existence in front of him. This figure, clad in heavy dark plating, moved forward. An unusually tall figure, he moved, glided, with arms crossed, toward the man, before coming to a rest several paces between the two.

"General Leo Christophe, correct?" The armored man queried. "I am Golbez, I come with a summons."

The man, General Leo, nodded in affirmation of his identity. "Might I ask under whose authority this summon comes from?"

"Your emperor." It was a lie, but Golbez had his objective, to recruit General Leo to the Warriors of Shinryu. "He has requested that you serve under Kefka for the duration of the coming conflict."

"Is that… true?" A ping of doubt formed in Leo's gut. Emperor Gestahl would surely know that Kefka was now too unstable, after poisoning the water at Doma. The Emperor was dead by now, wasn't he? Then again, Leo knew of his own death, yet here he was.

Leo brushed his hand across his arm, he was still flesh and blood, so, how?

Golbez knew that Leo was a man of integrity and valor, one not taken to temptation or underhandedness. It was… unsettling to know that Shinryu had chosen him to serve, but he couldn't claim to understand how a Divine dragon thought. "I… swear it, Leo."

"I vowed to serve the Empire to the end, yet…" Leo's mind flashed to the treatment of the Espers, the brutal enforcements, the acts Kefka had performed, and among the worst, what had happened to that Esper-girl. He hadn't done anything, he might as well have given his support to those acts. Such things would not occur while he was present, the Empire would conquer land humanely when Leo led the armies, but put any other Imperial in charge, and…

"Very well." In the end, there was no stability or order without a country, no matter what that country was like." Take me to Kefka, for the sake of the Empire, I must do this."

"Then come." Golbez turned around, whipping his cape through the air, "Our numbers swell, but we don't yet have enough to satisfy… him."

"Pardon?"

Golbez shook his head. "Don't let it concern you, Leo. You'll see soon enough."

* * *

_No. Impossible. It isn't…_

Celes scanned the area around her… there was no doubt about it, this was Kefka's Tower.

But how? The tower was destroyed alongside its namesake ruler, and the world had returned to balance. She didn't even have any memory of actually entering the tower, she just… woke up here. The last thing she could remember was, talking to Locke, and…

This occurrence struck a nerve of worry in her, the possibility of Kefka's return. She didn't want to relive that nightmare, the power a man as deranged as that had acquired, and what that man had tried to do.

That meaningless destruction… it must not be repeated, ever. She wouldn't let it start again, but if Kefka was back, could she really stop him by herself? She had had so many allies the last time, and it was still an uphill tooth-and-nail struggle, by herself, she couldn't…

Her train of thought desisted as a sound struck her. The sound of footsteps. She ducked around a corner, not wanting to be caught by surprise if the source of these footsteps was hostile. Peering out from the corner, she saw a casually dressed man walking around, forcing her to raise an eyebrow. Kefka didn't have henchmen in the traditional sense, and the man's expression seemed far too carefree to have any association with Kefka, but perhaps it was one of his tricks.

As the man passed the corner she was hiding at, _whistling_ while doing so, she sprung out, with a sword in her hand. Not striking to kill, not even trying to strike, but needing to get the upper hand on this man before any discussion took place.

Unfortunately, she made the mistake of running up to him. The hard sound of her feet coming down on the ground gave herself away, the man spun around and leapt back, summoning a sword straight out of the air. Somehow, the man and the weapon seemed to not properly go together.

"Who are you?" The demand from her lips was simple enough. She had to know who he was, and if he wasn't an enemy, she could leave.

"Whoa, ease up there." The man backed up with a nervous smile. "I'm Bartz, and you are…?"

"Celes." His casual demeanor seemed to tell her that there was no need for aggression, but she refused to take that chance. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just looking for someone. Supposed to be a strong someone." His weapon dispersed, "You might actually be the one. Not many people pass through this area."

Her mind processed that information, and found the only logical conclusion. Bartz knew this was Kefka's Tower, and he knew that almost no one could get into it, yet Bartz was walking in here casually. Therefore… Bartz had to be associated with Kefka.

"You won't get me." Celes started to back away, posturing herself in a overly defensive fashion. "I'll never help Kefka." As she backed away, she bumped into one of the capsules erected around the area, she jumped forward and spun around. Her body quivered involuntarily at the sight of the research capsule, thinking back to the horrors that had been committed.

"Whoa, hey, are you okay?" Bartz came up to her he noticed the shaking of her body. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know Terra, would you?"

"Wha-" Celes snapped back around when she realized that Bartz had closed the distance. "You… you know Terra?"

"Sure, she's a friend." That friendly smile certainly didn't… seem to be fake. "She helped a lot last time, do you know her?"

_Last time?_

"You… seem sincere." Celes released the stress in her. "If you know Terra like I think you do, then I guess I can go with you."

"Well, it's not just Terra, there's a lot of people."

Her eyebrow was raised again. She had no reason to know about the last conflict, her mind simply presumed that he was talking about those who rose to fight Kefka, but she had no memory of this person. She would get to the bottom of this, and she would see Locke again, no matter what.

* * *

**From where I'm standing, there are only two people that can work as secondary villains from VI, General Leo and Emperor Gestahl. And seeing as the only thing Gestahl has is really high-level magic, I'd prefer Leo here.**

**Please review.**


	7. V The Tycoon Princess & The Blade Seeker

**Bad news. Nomura has said that only the SNES games and forward will have new characters in 012. In otherwords, no I, II, or III characters will be added. There went my hope for Xande.**

**Anyway, the official Japanese website has been updated with the Jump Feista trailer. Stages that appear to be the Phantom Train from VI and the Empyreal Paradox from XI can be seen. Jecht is also conclusively confirmed as a Cosmos Warrior this time around.**

**Yuna has also been pseudo-confirmed in the form of a pair of feet walking on the water. From what we can see there, all I can say is that I'm happy she's in her X outfit. Characters are best derived from the original game, not the add-ons and story sequels.**

**I wonder if we're ever going to get a new villain unveiled...**

**Moving on to V.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

The castle of Tycoon didn't have much in the way of a effective military, but it didn't attract much trouble either. This world was at effective peace, the quietness of Tycoon was hardly remarkable or noteworthy.

Yet, the moment princess Lenna walked onto the roof, it was obvious something was wrong. The sky above her, which should have been a clear blue at this time of day, was instead a black coat that stretched as far as her eye could see. It was as if it was night, yet the roof still seemed well lit.

The appearance of this strange black vastness above her was… unsettling similar to the Void that Exdeath had sought. Yet the Interdimensional Rift had been sealed, there should have been no way that the Void could have returned.

Turning around, Lenna then took note of just how lifeless the castle seemed. While Tycoon didn't exactly have much of a military, the fact that the towers hosted no watchers at all was concerning in of itself.

Lenna took a breath and tried to calm herself down. Running a quick hand through her blonde hair*, she reminded herself of her abilities in combat, despite appearances, she was very powerful with a simple sword or two. Perhaps stronger then all of the Tycoon military, though, admittingly, that wasn't so hard a title to achieve.

Even so, this was still distressing, after a deep breath, her anxieties weren't decreasing at all. Reminding herself that as of now, there was nothing she could do, just seemed to make her more focused, more worried.

The idea of not being able to do anything was always terrifying to her, she had lost much on a personal scale, the idea of being helpless, of being unable to protect anything…

Yes, it scared her more then anything else. That's why she was so… reckless, these days, though her tendency to place herself in harm's way always seemed to scare the people around her. She _was_ a princess, heir to a kingdom, if she was lost, there was no telling what would become of Tycoon, even so, she couldn't just… do nothing.

Her justification over her way of handling things, and the acknowledgement of why her live had to be preserved for the nation's sake, dispersed as she heard the sound of footsteps behind her.

A man walked into view from behind her. Her first reaction was to jump back, but she didn't summon a sword, not yet, anyway. The man shown with a radiant light, but on some level, she could sense traces of darkness within him, despite those traces, the man's friendly face seemed genuine.

"Hello, princess…?"

"Lenna."

"Princess Lenna." The man smiled, "My name is Cecil, I should warn you, you might be in danger out here."

_Might be?_

"I can't leave my castle." Lenna, feeling that the man was harmless, turned around and directed her gaze up to the sky above her. "Something is wrong in the air above us, I can't just leave and-"

"Whatever the problem in the sky is, you won't be able to solve it from the castle."

"Do you… know what's going on?" Lenna placed one hand in a position where the Cecil couldn't see it, and began summoning the energy that would form her sword, just in case.

"No more then you do." Cecil shook his head, directing his gaze skyward, "However, I doubt the problem is isolated to the sky above your castle, so if there's a source to the problem, I doubt you'll be able to figure it out from here."

Lenna relaxed the hand that had nearly summoned the sword as Cecil's words processed in her mind. What he said had made sense, and besides that, no one seemed to be at the castle right now, surely no one would notice if she disappeared for a while.

"Wait, how do I know if I can trust you?"

"…If you don't trust me, perhaps I know someone you do." Cecil closed his eyes, recalling the names of his comrades, "Cloud, Tidus, Firion, Bartz, Squa-"

"Bartz?" Lenna's sudden exclamation shook Cecil out of his name chant. "You know Bartz?"

"He's… a friend." Believing that he was getting somewhere, and that Lenna was an acquaintance of Bartz, he could tell himself that he could get Lenna to follow him. "If you come with me, you can see him."

Lenna thought about it, chewing her lip. Cecil obviously hadn't expected Bartz's name to get a reaction out of her, but then, she didn't recognize any of the other names he mentioned. At the same time, unfamiliarity was her only solid reason to distrust the man, therefore…

"Okay, I'll go with you. Take me to Bartz."

* * *

Gilgamesh didn't think he was a bad guy. He wasn't _that_ bad a guy, and all things considered, being sent to the Interdimensional Rift by Exdeath had to have been a bit much.

Okay, so he messed up a few times, and there was that whole "Excalipoor" incident, but hey, he was loyal, he was (generally) competent. Being sent here just had to be overreacting, right?

Gilgamesh walked down one pathway that seemed all too similar to all the others, the Rift was an effective prison, no doubts there. He, for one, was sick of it, and he just wanted to get out of here. Everything felt so similar to everything else in the Rift, but he couldn't do anything to get out, it was a very effective prison.

The monsters that lived in the Rift, however, seemed to have disappeared entirely, more then a little odd.

"Oh-ho, the latest toy, is it?" A voice came up from behind Gilgamesh, he hadn't noticed it, but a strange clown had managed to sneak up on him.

"Who are you?" A pause after the question, and then Gilgamesh's usual personality came to the forefront. "You stand in the presence of the greatest of swordsmen, what could you hope to do against me?"

"What would I do against you? Hmm…" The clown raised his hand to his face and made an exaggerated stroke across the chin. "I think I'd freeze you, then shatter you to pieces, turn the remains to ash, store what's left of you in an Esper pod, and drain whatever magical energy you have."

"Oh… uh, well…" Gilgamesh flinched as the clown finished his explanation of what he would do, and began to scramble for a response. "You know what? I… just remembered that I… forgot to… turn the stove… on, so I'll be, you know, leaving, and-"

As Gilgamesh turned around, Kefka snapped the fingers that had stroked his chin a moment ago, and a sudden wall of flame overtook the path behind Gilgamesh. Jumping back with a shriek, he landed right in front of Kefka, simply shuddering at the sight of the flames. At the sight of the panicked man, Kefka deftly places one finger subtly on the back of the swordsman.

With another shriek, Gilgamesh shot up in the air and spun around, landing on his feet in front of the clown.

"I-I-I've had it with freaks like you! W-w-who are you?"

"Oh, me? I'm Kefka, and you, freak, are coming with me."

"Y-y-yes sir… I-I mean, n-no sir."

"Well, it's either follow me, or stay in the Rift." Flashing a grin, Kefka waved his arms, dousing the flames behind Gilgamesh, "I mean, maybe wandering for eternity without the ability to age and die is more up your alley, but what do I know?"

"O-o-okay." Gilgamesh gulped, "You, uh, know the way out?"

"Yes, yes, of course." Kefka's voice took on a sharper tone, "Come on swordy, follow me, oh, and I hope you're interested in meeting Exdeath… again."

"…uh-oh." Gilgamesh flinched again at the mere thought of Exdeath. "You know what? I'm cool in here, it's a little homey, you know, and I-"

The wall of flame suddenly erupted behind Gilgamesh again, with a sudden yelp of surprise, he scurried past Kefka. The clown could only laugh again as he summoned another wall of flame to block Gilgamesh's run.

"Oh, a little fun couldn't hurt." A wicked gleam appeared in Kefka's eyes as he brought his hands forward, preparing to summon more walls of flame.

* * *

*** Lenna's appearance, like most characters, is derived more from her Yoshitaka Amano artwork, which depicts her with blonde hair. Dissidia chose to have the characters from the sprited games to be designed from Amano artwork, rather then their in-game appearance, so that's what I'm doing here. Lenna's Amano artwork also has her in a white outfit, rather then the actual V's orange outfit, and evidentially she has a cape.**

**Though any hero from V is workable, I think the choice is really between Lenna or Faris, ultimately I went with Lenna.**

**...oh, and if anyone is expecting Bartz/Lenna moments, you're in the wrong fanfic. V doesn't really touch on romance, and neither will I. Based on Lenna's official description in V, about recklessly putting herself at risk, I'd rather picture her treatment of Bartz to be more akin to an overprotective older sister.**

**Do not worry about Gilgamesh, once the character recruiting is done with, he'll be in all his "Let's fight like men!" glory.**

**Gilgamesh is really the only V villain that anyone should pick. I suppose it wouldn't be out of the question to do another "emotional connection" and put king Alexander Tycoon in, much in the same manner as Jecht's inclusion, but you can't expect me to not use Gilgamesh.**

***whew* I wrote a bit more at the end here then I should have.**

**Please review.**


	8. IV The Dragoon & The Hateful Lunarian

**Though I suppose there are other characters from IV that can be used, these two are really the only practical choices.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Kain Highwind couldn't face the others, not after what he had done.

How could he? He had been weak enough to fall prey to Golbez's mind control. He couldn't be considered worthy of his title, the Dragoon commander of Baron, he had raised his spear against Cecil, left Rosa bound, there was too much.

It wasn't just his physical actions that explained his reluctance to see them again. Ever since his body and mind had been controlled, he knew, somewhere deep in his heart, a part of him truly wished that Cecil was gone. If he was gone, perhaps he and Rosa could…

No. He wouldn't think about that. A more pressing matter was at hand. He had no recollection of entering the area he was in, but he knew all too well what it was. The design, the structure, this was within the Giant of Babil.

Yet, it had been destroyed. Perhaps this was some form of purgatory, the price for his transgressions, forcefully reliving what he had done. This was the CPU room of the Giant, the place where his final brain-washing had come to an end. A reminder of how, even at the end, he needed help to shake of the control of another.

Tightly clenching his lance, he closed his eyes and pictured everything that had happened. Mist, the girl, Fabul, Rosa's kidnapping, breaking free, only to be enslaved again, so many moments of weakness… how could he have let it happen?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. In the cold unfeeling room that served as the CPU room of the Giant, such small sounds could travel for ages. Opening his eyes, he turned head to the entrance of the room, a man dressed in black had just wandered in, holding a peculiar weapon. The stranger's weapon was clearly a sword, but Kain couldn't seem to make sense of the design of the hilt.

Kain had never seen a man quite like this one, he clearly wasn't a native of any nation he had seen. The presence of the strange sword seemed to spell out that the man was looking for a fight. In that case…

The room was huge, more then enough room for Kain to use the greatest skill of the Dragoons. Crouching for just a moment, Kain soared into the air, his soundless ascent going unnoticed by the man, and then he came down.

He wasn't going to strike the man lethally, just enough to disable him for the moment. He didn't want to take any chances, but he wasn't about to kill someone who might have meant no harm either.

Unfortunately, the man seemed to have caught wind of Kain's action. Spinning around suddenly, the man's strange weapon caught Kain's lance, tossing the Dragoon back.

"Who are you?" Kain inquired, "Perhaps you seek revenge for something I've done?"

The black-clad man said nothing, merely placing his sword casually by his side. After several seconds of the lack of response, Kain relaxed his body and straightened his body.

"My apologies for the attack, I didn't know who you were." Kain gave a small bow of acknowledgement for what he had just done, "Now, who are you?"

"Squall Leonhart." His weapon disappeared in a burst of light. "It's Kain, right?"

Kain flinched at the utterance of his name.

"How do you know me?"

"Cecil speaks of his allies with fondness." Squall began to walk up to Kain, "He's too soft for the battlefield."

"…I see." Kain paused, before allowing his lance to also disappear into a burst of light. "So, you are acquainted with Cecil? Very well." Kain stretched an arm forward with an open palm.

"I am Kain Highwind, and it would seem we're allies."

Squall made almost no response, just tilting his gaze to examine the hand, before tilting his eyes back up to look at Kain's face. Kain curled his fingers into his palm and withdrew his arm.

"You don't trust me?" He felt mildly disappointed, but in hindsight… "A wise decision."

* * *

How often had he moved through the moon, wanting a better life on the planet below? How often had he cursed the conservative mindset of his people? How often had he felt the hatred for those on the blue planet? The others had said that his hatred was clouding his judgment, making him consider things he shouldn't, even as they put him to sleep to await the day his people, and those lesser creatures, his hatred had burned so wildly.

Simple sleep could not stop him. He would wipe all human life from the blue planet, and give his people their own world, no matter what they sought.

So steep was his hatred, that he didn't even notice that he was outside of his sleep, floating on the surface of the moon. In fact, so smoldering was the hatred of Zemus, that he did not recognize the sound of someone approaching him from behind.

Sephiroth smirked at Zemus' anger. Able to despise and scorn something so completely, in a way, he had a great similarity to Sephiroth, the complete and total hatred for the world.

Sephiroth crossed his arms and leaned back onto one of the rock formations, waiting for Zemus to notice him.

Zemus felt a strange pulse in the back of his head, he recognized it instantly. Thanks to his array of psychic powers, he could understand the emotions a person felt on a natural reflexive level. There was someone behind him, and that person was the source of the pulse of hatred he had just sensed. Turning around, Zemus felt another strain of hatred course through him at the sight of a human in such close proximity. Yet something else was taking priority in his mind…

"I sense a burning hatred in you…" Zemus closed his eyes, and without another word, thrust his will upon Sephiroth.

Sephiroth's eyes clenched firmly shut from the sudden attack on his mind, but his eyelids soon relaxed.

"If a battle of wills is your desire, then I shall deny you." Sephiroth's eyes shot back open, and the mental energy surrounding him whiplashed back at the Lunarian, snatching him out of the air and tossing him several meters away from the silver-haired swordsman.

Zemus rose back into the air, his eyes firmly shut, before slowly opening. "You are not Lunarian, you are harder to control, but there should be no way for you to resist my will like that. No human could…"

"So if I was a Lunarian, you could control me easily?" Sephiroth smirked, "Perhaps you should speak to Golbez then."

"The disgusting half-breed?" Zemus' eyes suddenly traced firmly on Sephiroth's body. "Do you know that revolting abomination?"

"I do." Sephiroth's smirk died. "And I know you, Zemus, though you don't know me. I know about your hatred for the blue planet, in defiance of your people's wishes, perhaps I can help you…"

A weak grunt escaped Zemus as he turned back around. "I associate myself with pawns, not allies."

"You aren't being given a choice in this matter." Sephiroth turned his back to the Lunarian, pacing two steps away before coming to a stop. "But perhaps you'd be more willing, if you know what has been promised…"

"What?"

"Our… leader, is neither human or Lunarian, why don't you talk to him first?"

Zemus turned back around, contemplating the human's words. He could barely stomach working with others and, albeit forced, considering them allies. Still, for the sake of desire…

"Very well."

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**Please review.**


	9. III The Orphan & The Dark Lord

**This ended up being one of the trickier chapters to write. If only because there wasn't an obvious choice for a secondary III hero.**

**The Onion Knight was derived more from the NES game, the trouble is that you can't just pull one of the other job classes from the game for your second hero, because most of the classes that are unique to III are simply upgraded versions of an already existing class. Still, I believe my choice ultimately is one that would be a logical choice.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Waiting to die… it was horrible, unthinkable, the fear ate him alive from the inside. To think that his master would have thrust mortality on him as he gave splendid powers to his fellow students. To make matters worse, Unei and Doga had strutted around, pretending that he had received the finest gift.

The ability to die.

Xande has once been a calm, disciplined, and self-controlled man at his core, but now these traits were only on the surface. He had become far more… unhinged, erratic, while his ability to plan had not faded, he also knew that plans took time, time he no longer had.

They had told him that a limited lifespan would allow him to convey meaning to his remaining years but… no, it was too terrible. What could have meaning if it would just be swept away with time? The only way to have meaning is to be there to see it all. He had to regain immortality, he _had_ to.

Xande paced around the Crystal Tower, his staff firmly gripped in hand, considering his options. Master Noah's "gift" would not easily be undone, he had attempted to freeze time, yet that had been undone. Every plan that failed would be more wasted time, too many failures and his time would run out, and… no, he wouldn't even think about it.

Magic could only extend his life for so long, he needed to find a permanent solution to this gift… no, this curse.

Through magic, Xande sensed the approach of another, turning around, he came face to face with a figure he had never seen before. A woman unlike any he had seen before, with raven wings spouting from her very back.

Xande dismissed her as a product of the Dark Power he know channeled, he would have ignored her entirely, but then she suddenly spoke.

"Yes, I see…" The woman's eyes were closed as she approached Xande's back. "You've lost the gift of eternity, haven't you?"

Xande snapped back around, strands of darkness phasing into existence as his mouth turned into a scowl. Being reminded about his limited time… nothing enraged Xande quite as much.

"Who are you?" Xande restrained himself from attempting anything at that precise moment. If she had something to offer him, then she was worth sparing for the extent of the moment.

"The one who can allow you to live forever." Her eyes slid open as her lips turned into a subtle smile. Xande involuntarily growled, quickly surmising a desire for an alliance.

"And why should I believe that you can do that for me?" Xande turned back around and began to walk off. "With all my knowledge, I've yet to find a true release from this curse of mortality, how could you offer freedom from death?"

"Oh, not me, precisely." The woman, Ultimecia, turned away. "Our… leader, has achieved many things. Being immortal gives you the time to pursue many things."

Yes, he was aware of that reality. He had been immortal, he had mastered so much magic, staggering amounts of power, yet it was powerless before the ever present threat of death. If her "leader" was immortal, perhaps he might have looked into such things, he would have researched how to make someone immortal, if he had ever considered this a possibility.

He had no desire to have allies, anyone who might slow him down, or impair his desire to regain immortality, but the woman's leader might just be what he's been looking for.

"Very well, take me to your leader." With those words from Xande, Ultimecia turned around and began to walk away, until a chord of dark energy stretched across the room, catching Ultimecia on her neck. Feeling the awkward sensation on her neck, she backed away, only for Xande's hand to grab the back of her head.

"However, if you're deluding me, rest assured, I will find you."

* * *

The World of Darkness… how long had it been since he'd been here? He never thought he'd step foot in this place again… how had he gotten back here, again?

Luneth wandered around the eternally ethereal landscape of the shifting world, making every effort to piece together how he had gotten there, but nothing seemed to lead into how he had returned to where the last battle with the Cloud of Darkness had occurred at. Scratching the back of his head, Luneth paced around through the endless corridors, until tiring and sitting himself down by one of the pillars.

He wasn't the sort who asked too many questions, just enough to have an idea of what was going on. Barreling into a situation without considering anything and just operating off of reflex was natural to him, but this was somewhat different.

Still, he wasn't scared or worried, one of his personality quirks. He was, if anything, a bottomless well of courage, so were his friends, even if they weren't ones to act as fast as he did.

Taking a sword, his only weapon, he made a random swing in the air with the silver weapon. He had the strength to back up that courage as well, he was one of the Light Warriors chosen by the crystal, after all.

"Maybe I can just leave, like last time. Cut through a few guys, easy."

"You should think it through more then that."

Luneth blinked at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. Turning around, he came face to face with a kid that looked younger then him.

"Hey, who are you?"

"I could ask the same thing to you." The kid cocked his head and scanned Luneth with his eyes. "Huh, that outfit… you ever been to Ur?" The kid inquired.

"Heh, yeah, I grew up there." Luneth tilted his head up, pulling his hands behind his head, "It's actually a pretty boring place, and I really only know Arc."

The kid lowered his head and raised an eyebrow. He had grown up in Ur, and not once had he ever seen anyone like this older boy. "Did you… really grow up in Ur?"

"Um… yeah, I was an orphan there." Luneth's eyes flickered very briefly to a just slightly remorseful look, before returning to his more common expression. "Anyway, who are you?"

"Huh, me? Uh…" the child paused, unable to answer the question on the spot. "Some people call me… the Onion Knight."

"Onion Kni-oh-" Luneth snickered, "Now that's a real awe-inspiring nickname."

"Hey, shut it." The Onion Knight snapped back, "I only came here to get you out of this place."

"Oh, you know how to get out of here?" Luneth's grin faded, "Well then, lead the way."

* * *

**Right then, so I basically fused the DS and NES versions together there.**

**I've seen a fair number of people refer to the Onion Knight as "Luneth", but really, he's not. OK was a new character in Dissidia.**

**Please review.**


	10. II The Rebel Girl & The Dark Knight

**There's really only one character that can be used as a secondary villain for II. Only one.**

**I don't to hear as much of an utterance of the name "Borghen". Clear?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

He had disappeared when they were running from the Imperials, and now, finding him was her only goal.

She already had Firion and Guy with her, and the only other surviving member of her family was missing. Every time she thought about it, she could only imagine her biological brother suffering in an Imperial dungeon, the thought is what steeled her for the struggle.

Maria was one of the most prominent archers in the Wild Rose Resistance, and had assisted in a fair amount of charges into enemy territory. Though, always alongside her half-brother Firion, and childhood friend, Guy. Every time a battle occurred, she wished for the chance that she might find Leon captive, and in turn she could free him.

Yet, as the war progressed, her hope began to wane. She searched in every battle, but never found Leon, she had little reason to believe that he'd be kept in one of the higher-security prisons, unless he had proven difficult to contain.

He had trained in swordplay extensively, the possibility that he was being locked away in a more secure prison for that reason was the sole flicker of hope she had. Yet even now, it was fading.

Still, looking for her brother wasn't what she was doing at this precise moment. This place was an Imperial stronghold, that much was true, but she had no recollection of entering it, and she never struck off on her own.

She walked by a window and peered out, hoping to get an understanding of where she was. Instead, she cringed at the sight of a swirling wall of wind just outside. She pulled back from the window and snapped around, releasing a gasp at that discovery.

One possibility that came to her was that she had been kidnapped, though she had never been aware of a Palamecian Dungeon of this design. The long drop could do good at preventing escapes… perhaps it was a dungeon.

The swirling wind, the long drop, yes, it would be an effective dungeon. Escape might be impossible.

Her eyes widened with a sudden realization, a hope that Leon might be here, she turned to leave the room she was in, only to discover a man blocking her path.

This man had very… characteristic blonde hair, and on his back was an exceptionally large sword. Her first thought was that the man was dungeon personal, she jumped back and brought her bow to the front, an arrow already on the string.

"Who are you?" It was a rhetorical question, seeing as she was certain that he was Palamecian. Or was she? Among Palamecians, she had never seen one with the physical characteristics of this man. The Palamecians had a distinct physique and facial structure, and this man seemed to betray all that. He was either a hired mercenary, or…

"Cloud Strife." The man, Cloud, took a few steps forward. "I came to get you out of here."

"What?" Maria lowered her bow, the possibility of the man being an ally struck her, and then she raised her bow again. "Who sent you? The Empire? Or the Wild Rose Rebellion?"

_Wild Rose Rebellion?_ Cloud's mind flashed to his times with Firion in the last conflict, and the Wild Rose that represented his dream.

"A man named Firion sent me, while he's busy with other duties." Cloud half-lied, while it was true that Firion was bust with other duties, it was Cosmos that had sent him, not Firion.

"So… Hilda hired you to help us fight the Empire?" Maria remained slightly skeptical, even as she pulled the arrow out of her bow. Cloud, on the other hand, was confused over the identity of "Hilda", but dissuaded his thoughts.

"There's a lot you need to hear, you should come with me." Cloud extended a hand to Maria, but she only backed away.

She wanted to think about this just a bit longer. This man didn't seem hostile, but his claim of knowing Firion wasn't particularly noteworthy, everyone seemed to know him, her, and Guy. Yet, somehow, she couldn't see the man as lying about this either.

With a fair bit of caution, she began to walk forward to grab the outstretched hand.

* * *

_My son…_

Leon, covered in the armor of the Imperial Dark Knight, walked slowly through Pandemonium. A cape coming off of his shoulders, and his head obscured by the cruel visage of his helm.

_When you were born, I knew that a man of virtue had entered this world._

Leon reached down to his left hip, the fingers of his right hand twisting around the hilt of his sword. Slowly, he pulled his Imperial sword from its holster.

_Leon, I watched with pride in my heart as you grew into a servant of righteousness._

Leon pointed his sword forward, allowing the light to gleam off of it for one brief moment.

_You always put Firion and Maria before yourself, and I have no doubt that in the life you lead, such selfless decisions will continue to guide you._

Pulling the blade back, Leon wrapped the fingers of his left hand firmly around the hilt.

_Always remember, Leon, a protector's greatest desire is not fame, not fortune, not power, it is peace._

Leon suddenly raised his sword up in the air and swung it back down. The blade struck the crystal-like ground of Pandemonium, shattering the area in front of him like glass.

"Father…" Leon put his sword back in its holster, then brought both his arms up to lift his helm up off his head. "The lessons that you've taught me, I've learned were never true."

With his helm carried in his left hand, he balled the right one into a fist. "When the ones I had protected for so long betrayed and abandoned me to the Imperial knights, I realized something…" Leon uncurled the fist and swung the arm across his field of vision and back to his side. "We're all in this alone, and the survivors are the ones who can take care of themselves, the ones who know how to use and then discard others."

"Power!" The sudden yell was followed by Leon putting the Dark Knight helm back on his head. "That's all I will ever need, the power to control everything."

"I see you have not let go of your delusions." A familiar voice sounded from behind Leon. He wouldn't have turned around for anyone else, but for the time, he had to be loyal to this man. Leon about-faced and knelt down to Emperor Mateus.

"You have not forgotten the truth I illustrated for you." Mateus smirked as he beheld the Dark Knight in front of him. Leon's greed, his lust for power was like an aura that Mateus could feel. Leon was a avarice driven animal, but at the same time, a very predictable one, provided he was not allowed undue contact with those who he believed had betrayed him.

"A new conflict for you to take part in has arisen, come Leon." Mateus turned around, signaling for Leon to rise back to his feet. The dark knight paced behind Mateus as they left the area.

"Oh, one more thing, Leon." Mateus looked over his shoulder as he walked, "You are the Dark Knight, do not tell anyone you meet that your name is Leon."

The dark knight merely nodded, he had spent more then enough time in the Palamecian system to know better then to ask questions about Mateus' orders.

* * *

**Pinning Leon's personality isn't exactly easy. Mostly because of the sheer lack of diologue in II. (Hilda was the only character who could be considered particuarly "chatty" in that game) I have to base him almost entirely on the scene where he loses the throne to the returning Emperor. In which case, I'll write him as completely power-obsessed.**

**Oh yes, and I'm leaving him in his full Dark Knight gear. There'll be a reason for this.**

**Please review.**


	11. I The Mage of Light & The Fiend of Earth

**Ha. I at last.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

One of the fabled Warriors of Light… but could he be said to really be worthy of the title?

A mage, garbed in red, paced through the Chaos Shrine. A decorated silver rapier hung on his hilt. With gently closed eyes, he tried to picture who he was.

Nothing. He could remember almost nothing. He remembered the Light, he could remember his vow to serve the Light with all his being, but he could remember nothing else.

Slowly opening his eyes, he raised one hand up to pull his hat down, revealing his full head of white hair. The red hat with a single white feather in it, he raised his other hand to lightly tug the feather before sighing.

Placing the hat back on his head, he continued to move through the Shrine. He placed a hand firmly on one of the pillars and hung his head down. Without memory, without a name, he had no where to go. A firm belief and devotion to the Light gave him calmness, but inner peace seemed outside of his reach at the moment.

But… why was it out of his reach? If the Light blessed him as a champion, why should a lack of memory make him feel so… incomplete? He raised his head back, realizing that he was breathing heavily, he pushed himself back from the pillar and turned around, his red cloak fluidly moving with the lonely wind that pervaded the Chaos Shrine.

He had taken only a few steps before his head hung down again. These feeling of emptiness were plaguing him in ways that, even with his memory gone, he was sure had not tormented him before.

A mage who proved competent in the art of spell-casting and swordsmanship, he should have been more content with himself, but, he wasn't. It was all he could do to remain outwardly calm, despite his inner turmoil.

At this late stage, he only had the Light left. He brought his hands together, placing them into a prayer-like position. With eyes closed, he dipped his head, silently mouthing words as he attempted to seek the Light.

"You!" The Mage's eyes shot open at the sound of a voice. Immediately snapping around, he saw the figure of a knight, dressed in an exceptionally distinctive suit of armor.

"Who are-" The Mage began, but then something clicked in his head. A small shiver running down his spine, no memories surfaced, but… the knight was somehow… nostalgic.

"Do I… know you?" The knight suddenly asked, a tilt to his head. "I can't be sure, but I…"

"I've seen you before… I, I know I have." The Mage began to walk towards the Warrior, "But… I don't remember you."

The Warrior paused at the words, a perfect wording of his own reaction to the red-garbed man. "I see." The Warrior stepped forward, extending a warm hand, "Perhaps we should talk, but not here, let me take you to meet Cosmos."

"Who?" The Mage studied the hand that welcomed him as he made the one word question.

"When I first came to this world, I was wracked by doubts, by lack of direction, but she guided me down the proper path." The Warrior paused, remembering the hopelessness he once felt, "Let me take you to her, if you have any doubts, she can help you."

The Mage paused for a moment, then took another step forward and firmly grasped the Warrior's hand.

"Before we go…" The Warrior paused, "I want to ask you something."

* * *

A cloaked figure flowed down the streets of Lufenia. A rotting specter of death seemed to ooze through the streets. As it moved, the pavement seemed to degrade, the fertile soil died, all from the presence of this being.

It came to a stop, leaning itself back, revealing the unholy visage of its undead face. A dim red glow emanating from its hollow eye sockets as it brought a robed arm forward, a skeletal hand emerging, unholy earth-based energy twining around the fingers.

_What meaningless civilization have I been confined into?_

Lich, the Fiend of Earth, landed his robe upon the paved ground, the dim glow in his eyes growing marginally stronger with anger, before subsiding.

_Ah, but, if this is a civilization, then I shall be capable of sating myself._

Lich opened his mouth, a putrid stench seeping out as the thought of living flesh flashed through his mind. With a manipulation of the energy around him, he scanned the area around him in all directions, seeking the soul of a living being, but he only detected one.

Yet he only sensed one soul nearby, coming from right behind him. He slowly turned around to find a knight, one he was all too familiar with.

"Garland…" Lich stifled a laugh at the sight of the knight. "How long has it been? Two thousand years?"

Garland simply stood there, staring at the undead necromancer, feeling no warm memories at the sight of the aberration.

"Lich, you're service is required."

Lich remained motionless, his skeletal face not able to appropriately convey his mixture of amusement and disgust.

"I would advise you not take such a commanding tone with me, Garland." Lich rose a hand, summoning an orb of earth power, the power he had been slowly sucking away. "Perhaps you have deluded yourself into thinking that your power is beyond mine?"

Garland made no response, even as Lich continued to empower his orb. Lich pulled the orb back, bringing his hands upon it, his skeletal fingers dipping into it as his arms flowed over it, as if the orb was some coveted treasure.

"This is not an order from me, it comes from another."

"Oh?" Lich allowed the orb in his arms to begin shrinking. "Aren't you the cruel one, Garland."

The orbs shrank away to nothingness, "Curiosity is a persistent serpent, and it has sunk its fangs into me." Lich's eye sockets began to glow a brighter red. "Take me to the one who sought to contact me though you."

* * *

"So… you don't remember anything either." The two champions of Light sat on a ledge that overlooked the throne room of the Chaos Shrine. The Warrior of Light sighed, his hope that he might get a clue about who he was in his own world rotted away.

He quickly regained his composure and straightened himself up, not wanting to hold anything against the Mage.

"You have no memories of your own world? None at all?" The Mage turned to face the Warrior, "…and yet you seem to be at peace with yourself. I can't imagine what things Cosmos did for you."

"I have only one memory." The Warrior of Light brought his right arm forward and clutched his fist. "I just remember… a lute."

"A lute?" The Mage tilted his head, "This has meaning to you?"

"I…" The Warrior trailed off after just one word, simply staring at his clutched. "At first I thought it somewhat ridiculous but… I felt warm, content, I can remember someone giving me a lute."

"Someone? You don't remember who?"

The Warrior sighed and dropped his arm back to his side. "When I think about this lute, I can remember sharing an unbreakable sacred bond with the one who gave it to me." The Warrior's fingers tightened on his knee as he shut his eyes, trying to picture who had given it to him. "Yet… try as I might, I can't remember anything about that person, age, gender, I can only remember that the one who gave it to me was precious beyond reason."

The Mage looked ready to say something, but then shook his head and turned his gaze to the sky. "If this person is important to you, then you will remember him, or her, eventually."

"…may the Light grant me that."

* * *

Cosmos continued to lie on the ground by her throne at Order's Sanctuary, some _force_ was crawling through her, wracking her body with pain, but it was the farthest thing from her mind.

Instead, her every moment was dedicated to trying and suppress the summoning of even more Warriors. She could already sense so many Warriors had been found and brought to their respective sides, she had to find someway to stop more.

Meanwhile, far away, so far away, Shinryu was curled around his Dark Crystal. He remained motionless with his eyes open, deep in his iris, he could see Cosmos' effort to stop his desire. Shinryu suddenly closed his eyes, opening them again, the image of Cosmos disappeared, replaced by Shinryu's native eye color.

_Cosmos… she actually supressed part of my summoning. Clever Goddess, but you are a fool if you believe that alone will keep them from partaking in this war._

Shinryu moved his gargantuan head to gaze down at his warriors, the movement caught the attention of the Warriors of Shinryu. The way some of them beheld him… perhaps a number of them forgot his status as a Divine Dragon, and instead suspected that he was a bestial creature, determining their worth as meals.

"More are coming, Warriors." Shinryu raised an arm off the Dark Crystal he was wrapped around, pointing the claws of the arm in the direction of the ground, a white shimmering portal materialized.

"Go. Bring the heralds of the true war."

* * *

**Real big closing A/N this time around.**

**First off, looking at the chibi artwork that was made for the "Dawn of Souls" release, and the in-game sprites, the Red Mage could actually be written as a female character without raising too many eyebrows. Actually, looking at the artwork and the sprites, the Warrior and the Monk really seem to be the only character who simply has to be a male.**

**However, since I had all sorts of cliches in it, kidnapped princess, elves, dwarves, etc. I think it's reasonable to look as the healer (the White Mage) as the sole female.**

**The other two mages were actually considered for this, but no Black Mage because we already have Vivi, and nix on the White Mage because, as a writer, it's more interesting and viable for me to have a character whose style of fighting isn't just spamming Holy over and over again.**

**As for Lich... personally I always felt that the Four Fiends were effective giants in size. Most likely about the same size that Chaos is in Dissidia, but Lich was the only one who I feel could be seen as a human sized person without it looking weird.**

**As far as avaliable villains went, you really have to choose between Bikke, Astos, _maybe_ a Piscodemon, the Vampire, or one of the Four Fiends. I decided that a Fiend would be best because, unlike all the other possible secondary villains, the Fiends had an actual role in I's fairly non-existent plot.**

**Regarding the scene where WoL mentions his sole memory of a lute, well, ever since WoL has been presented as an actual character, I've thought of WoL and princess Sara as a couple. Sara herself, in I, possibly implies she may have something for the Light Warriors if you talk to her again after she gives you the lute.**

**Speaking of that lute, I had to almost completely rewrite the discussion between Warrior and Mage when I looked up what a lute was. Blame my ignorance of the music world, because I had always thought that a lute was like, a flute or a harmonica or something like that, but it turns out to be something a bit too big for WoL to be carrying around in a pocket. Hahaha!**

**Lastly, the scene where MoL is basically praying to the Light. From where I'm standing, since WoL was basically a holy warrior, the mages should be akin to clerics or archdeacons or even bishops.**

**Don't worry, MoL isn't going to be written as some fanatic. He's respectful.**

**Please Review.**


	12. XI The Hero & The Prince

**We're not done with the character recruiting yet, guys.**

**On 012, seems that Siliconera confirms that Yuna can summon her Aeons onto the field. Ixion, Shiva, and Bahamut have been confirmed. Her EX Burst supposedly involves all of her Aeons from X. I'm unsure as to weather or not this involves secret Aeons like Anima and the Magus Sisters.**

**I've decided to take a different approach to the character recruiting from here on. Mostly because Shantotto and Gabranth are the only ones who haven't recruited a character yet, which would kinda leave me hanging with XII and such.**

**Since I have to base the characters entirely off of Youtube videos, plot summeries, and quest scripts, I apologize for any amount of OOCness with the characters.**

**Notice that despite the fact that Shantotto is already in this story, we still have a new hero and a new villain from XI. Since Shantotto and Gabranth oppose each other, I'm putting XI and XII in the somewhat awkward position of being represented by three characters each. The numbers will still even out, of course.**

**Who did I choose for my XI hero? The character I choose is one that I feel that most would not expect, and may even be somewhat eccentric, but in hindsight, will make a lot of sense.**

* * *

"I… couldn't find any warriors." Shantotto had returned to Order's Sanctuary, with Cosmos looking only slightly healthier then she looked before the Tarutaru had left. "Perhaps I could get in touch with them by courier?"

Cosmos breathed heavily on the pearly grounds right by her throne. Her eyelids slowly slid open, revealing the sky above her, the strands of light that flowed across Order's Sanctuary. Her eyes half-closed, and then her body was suddenly wracked by pain again. Her body convulsed, her hands firmly on her abdomen as she suddenly cried out.

_Your efforts to stop me will prove to be empty, Goddess. Already, I have found a solution to your attempt to negate my summoning._

As the unknown voice slipped out of her mind, Cosmos' eyes shot open.

"C-Cosmos! Are you o-"

"I… am fine, Shantotto." Cosmos gasped for air as the pain started to withdraw, "This pain… it will continue, until all Warriors are gathered." Cosmos' breathing slowed to a more casual level. Her arms returned slowly to her side as she turned her head toward the mage.

"Shantotto, I need you… to find a Warrior, in your world." Cosmos brought her arm to the side, pointing a finger at Shantotto, strands of Light energy circling around it.

"I'm going to send you back to Vana'diel, you have to find someone who can fight in this battle."

Shantotto paused, staring at the Light energy around the Goddess' finger, she attempted to process just what she had been told. She was being… sent back to Vana'diel, to find someone who could fight in this war?

"Oh, I know just the guy." Shantotto let out a wide grin, almost surprising herself that she instantly singled out a single person. "He's such a nice boy, his services you never have to buy."

"Then… go." a beam of Light shot out from Cosmos' finger. The strand of Light flew past Shantotto, and then the tip of it stopped right behind the Tarutaru. The rest of the beam compressed forward into the tip, turning the beam into an orb of Light. It floated in the air for a moment before suddenly descending toward the ground, plunging under the water and spreading across the ground.

In a moment, the Light shot up into the air, once again a single strand, but then it expanded into a portal of Light.

Shantotto paused and just stared for a moment at the portal that would really take her back to Vana'diel, but, it wasn't for pleasure. Shaking off the hesitation, Shantotto walked straight into the portal.

* * *

The Celestial Nexus was unlike anything most people had seen, it was fitting, for few entered this place. It was natural, then, that no one noticed the portal of purest darkness fade into existence. As the tendrils of darkness whipped away from the portal, and being pulled back as if they were on a leash, the individuals stepped out. The Warriors of Shinryu.

"This task is hardly befitting someone of my power." Leon, who, as per the Emperor's instructions, had told no one his name, voiced his irritations.

"If my queen would approve of this, then…" Beatrix cut herself off and shook her head. "As for you, who is the one we are looking for?"

The third and final member of the group, Sephiroth, calmly looked over his shoulder at the Alexandrian general. Without a hint of emotion, he turned back. "Your task and mine are different."

Sephiroth held up a small piece of paper, the only contents being a picture, and casually tossed it over his shoulder. "Shinryu determined that this world has a man suitable to become a Warriors of Cosmos, find him and test him. That is your task."

Beatrix caught the paper and held it firmly in her hand, whoever the figure was, he was… surprisingly youthful. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to believe that that man was a capable opponent.

"My task is to find a new Warrior of Shinryu." Sephiroth walked away into the heart of the Paradox.

Sephiroth continued to walk away, eventually disappearing from eyesight. Leon shook his head, "It would seem we have no business here, general." The Dark Knight did not bother waiting for Beatrix's response, instead spinning around on his heel, his cape flowing with the motion, and he paced out of the entrance.

Beatrix continued to examine the picture as she turned to follow the Dark Knight, the more she looked at the picture, the less impressive the depicted man seemed to become.

* * *

He was just a soldier, above all else. The cheers and salutations of others meant nothing to him. He wished only to fulfill his duties, yet at the same time, not be a machine obsessed with duties.

With a code of honor as rigid as his, it might have sometimes been difficult to not become the latter, but he had succeeded so far. He allowed himself a smile as he recalled everything he had been through during his career as a soldier, as a Samurai.

The man, riding on a Chocobo, dropped his head to examine his armor, fairly scratch free considering what it, and he, had gone through. The Myochin armor of a Samurai, and his sword, Amanomurakumo, they had been with him for the longest time.

The armor told its own story, every scratch did.

The man, this Hume from Vana'diel, was regarded as a hero to all. Yet he never grew haughty, instead, his fame had forced him to distance himself from everyone around him. Partially so he could keep in mind why he drew his blade, but mostly because of his distaste for large crowds.

Leaning forward, he gave his Chocobo a small pat on the side of its head, signaling it to raise up, examine the surroundings, and then charge away.

* * *

Sephiroth walked into the center of the room. To others, the contents of this room would likely be both unsettling and beautiful at the same time, but his eyes passed by otherworldly nature of this room without a second thought. Instead, his concentration was focused solely on the center of the room. A large crystal placed underneath a machine of some design.

"Have you enjoyed your rest?" Sephiroth smirked as he came to a rest in front of the figure of a young boy, who had been standing right in front of the crystal structure. The boy should have been dead, but Shinryu's power was vast, this boy was brought back to take part in the war. Even if the Goddess of Harmony had found some way to keep him from being summoned immediately, Shinryu had simply sent Sephiroth, having just returned with Zemus, to acquire this boy for the war.

Yet, calling this warrior a "boy" was somewhat misleading. Yes, he had the appearance of a young boy, but he was much older then his appearance suggested. To be expected, from the Zilart prince.

"Who are you?" Eald'narche trained his single eye on the silver-haired man. His other eye nothing but a socket behind an eye patch. "Do you want sometin'?" Eald'narche attempted to summon up the more casual demeanor that he had used to deflect suspicion in the past, but one look at the expression of this silver-haired man was enough, more then enough to make it clear that the false personality was useless.

"I know you, prince. I know of your desire to pass into paradise." Sephiroth smirked at Eald'narche's involuntary flinch. "What I want from you, is to have you meet with someone who could make that desire a reality."

Eald'narche scowled, quickly and instantly ridding himself of the attitude of the friendly child, and backed a step away. "Yet I don't know you, nor am I interested in assisting someone who is a disease upon Vana'diel."

"You'll find that I am not of this world." Sephiroth stretched an arm forward, a chunk of Materia in his hand. "Tell me, have you ever laid eyes on this?"

Eald'narche beheld the mysterious orb, the power contained within seemed… trivial, but it was also true that he had never seen anything like it before.

"I'm listening."

* * *

Shantotto had materialized in the streets of Windurst, yet, as good as it might have been to be back there, she had something more important to deal with. Almost immediately, before anyone even had a chance to recognize her, she had already disappeared with a Warp spell.

It would be for the best that no one would be given the chance to recognize her and force her to explain what she was doing. Besides, taking leave from Windurst was not an entirely uncommon action for her.

Shantotto reappeared at the open fields of Bastok. The exact sort of place that he would ride a Chocobo through for hours on end. It was funny and ridiculous at the same time, that the kid that everyone considered to be the greatest hero in the history of the world spent so much of his free time just wandering around the plains like a child.

Just as the fact passed through her mind, the person in question appeared on the distant horizon. Shantotto smugly placed her hand on her hips as he approached, the man suddenly pulled on the reins of his Chocobo, with a distinctive warking sound, it came to an almost immediate stop.

"Fancy seeing you here." Shantotto took her hands off her hips and walked up to the feet of the Chocobo, "Last time we met was yesteryear."

"Oh, Shantotto." The Samurai on the Chocobo shook his head in annoyance. "What is it this time? Did you cause another travesty I'm expected to clean up?"

"Oh-ho, how defensive you are!" Shantotto fell into her typical laughter. "Perhaps I am about to ask you to do something that will take you far."

"I'm not interested." the Samurai pulled on his Chocobo's rein to turn it around. "Get yourself out of your own problem for once. I did more then enough with the "Shantottofication" incident."

"Mentioning that was completely uncalled for." Shantotto's grin dissipated as she recalled her failed attempt at dimensional workings, "Besides, I should those alternate Shantottos the door."

"After _I_ fought them first, remember?" The Samurai turned back around to face the Tarutaru. "Look, if it's really urgent, I'll help you, but people have got to stop coming to me every time something-" That was as far as the Samurai got before he noticed two figures speeding up behind her. Just a quick glance told him that these two were anything but friendly.

"Move aside, Shantotto!" The Hume leapt right off his Chocobo and lunged forward, taking his katana out, he met the blade of a female interloper. The faces of the two closed in on each other, allowing the Hume full view of the woman's amused and unimpressed expression. The blades struggled against each other for a few moments, then the Hume suddenly pushed with enough force to knock the female away, dispelling her frivolous face and freeing himself to engage the dark armored man. His blade caught the sinister knight's sword, but rather then try to press down like the woman, the knight immediately backed off.

The knight chuckled and leapt away as the woman advanced again, yet she had to immediately retreat as Shantotto unleashed a Flare spell.

"No more time to spend here." Shantotto reached an arm out and tugged on the armor of the Hume standing next to her. "We'll have to run, I fear."

"If that little exchange implied anything, we have the advantage." The Hume raised his katana into position, anticipating the next exchange, but…

"That's enough." A voice called from behind. Shantotto and the Hume turned around to see a silver-haired man, and behind him was someone all too familiar.

"You!" The Hume pointed a finger at the Zilart prince, "But I… defeated you. Your hope to open the gate…"

"Failed?" Eald'narche wrinkled his nose as a bitter smirk went across his face, "Nothing can get in my way."

"The testing of this one can wait. He will either succeed, or be devoured in what is to come." Leon backed away, allowing his weapon to dissipate into a mass of dark energy. "The one who has orchestrated everything wants this one in the war."

"War?" The Hume turned around at the waist to look at the black-coated man. "Who are you?"

Under his helm, Leon could only smirk. "If you have the power to find those answers, then invoke that power." Backing away, Leon half-turned and raised a hand, summoning a portal behind him, without a word Leon entered it.

"Seems you were fortunate to be spared a true battle." Beatrix scowled in disappointment before backing up into the portal. "I assure you, if we meet again, you will understand how much of an insect you are compared to me."

The Hume paused for a second, just staring blankly as the dark portal vanished, then he snapped around, only to find that the Eald'narche, and whoever had been with him, had already disappeared. Instead, he turned to Shantotto.

"What's going on?" The Hume frowned as the Tarutaru looked up at him, after a moment Shantotto's eyes trailed to the side.

"It's too long a story for now. We need to leave Vana'diel with a bow."

"What?" The Hume was about to inquire farther, but a bright Light suddenly sprouted from the ground between him and Shantotto. The light had more then enough intensity to force him to cover his eyes, yet even with closed eyes, the Light was somehow still leaking through.

* * *

Eventually he could sense the Light dimming away, and he opened his eyes, he found himself hovering in the air, but he was no longer in the plains of Bastok, he seemed to be in a strange void. The place was… difficult to describe.

_Warriors…_

"Cosmos!"

"…Cosmos?" The Hume stared blankly at Shantotto, who seemed to recognize a voice that had been heard in his head.

_I'm sorry, you aren't done yet. I must send you to another world._

"We understand, of course. Send us straight to the source."

"Wait, _what_ is going on?" The Hume's voice came with an obvious bite to it, "I dislike being thrust into something without knowing what's happening around me."

Shantotto's eyes traced upon the Hume's legs. The kid was insufferably strict on not getting pulled into something without being given a choice. One of his quirks, she supposed, but she also knew first-hand that he would be an incredible aid to Cosmos.

_I… understand why you would feel that way._

The voice sounded almost heartbroken as it said that, the Hume could feel his frustration begin to fade, he lowered his head to look at the ground. Or at least, at his feet, since he couldn't tell what was actually the "ground" right now.

…_but, I need you to go along with this for a while longer, then you will understand everything that is happening._

The Hume sighed in annoyance, he had a distinct disdain for being thrust into something without any knowledge of what was happening. Still, in all his travels in Vana'diel, he had come to take pride in one thing: his ability to judge someone's character. While he was skeptical of this voice's integrity, he couldn't seem to believe it was being untruthful.

"If I have to do this and remain ignorant of the truth for the time being, can you at least offer some help?" It was, at least to him, a practical and reasonable suggestion. If he had to be pulled along by the nose, then this voice could at least make things easier for him, it was the least it could do.

_I can offer someone…_

**My chosen XI hero is a character called "Vana'diel Hume", he's a stand-in for the player created character. In other words, the basic logic of his character is basically the same as WoL, OK, and my MoL.**

**As is stated in the story, he's in the Myochin Armor Set, a Samurai armor set. However, he is not wearing the head piece. (That is, he's not wearing a Kabuto helm) His sword is a Great Katana from XI called Amanomurakumo. In regards to his hairstyle, my source called it "Geraud", it's this unkempt brown hair that seems to go into his eyebrows. If it isn't clear enough, my source for his appearance was a website called , look up the "Character Creation" page and you'll see what Geraud is)**

**As for Eald'narche, really, he'd be the XI villain I'd pick if I could make the decision. Too bad the XI stage we see seems to be the Empyreal Paradox, and not the Celestial Nexus. Then again, I believe Eald'narche does appear in that area in one mission or another, "Apocolypse Nigh". It's not like Promathia is a feasible choice.**

**Looking at videos, I'd say that Eald'narche is about Zidane's height, which is also about the height I presume Luneth to be.**

**Please review.**


	13. XII The Princess & The Emperor

**In some rather suprising news, Prishe and Gilgamesh have been confirmed for 012. It's about time they confirmed a new Chaos Warrior, but I really don't have a exceptionally positive or negative opinion of Prishe's inclusion.**

**She's a good character to be sure, but her inclusion drastically reduces the chances of an XI villain, and I was really hoping for Shadow Lord or Elad'narche.**

**Oh yes, and the idea of Yuna having her gunner outfit as an alternate costume is apperantly incorrect. Her first outfit is her summoner outfit, her second outfit is her wedding attire, and her third outfit is a re-color of her summoner outfit based off of her artwork.**

**Anyway, on to the fic. For our XII hero, this is the only time I've ever let personal bias play a hand in selecting a character for the upcoming story. Vaan is one of the more unlikable protaganists from where I'm standing, and he's fairly irrelevent in XII's story, you could delete him from the game after the Judge Ghis boss fight and the plot wouldn't be affected at all.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Rabanstre, the capital of Dalmasca, was swimming in activity this hot afternoon.

With the Archadian occupation over, and now at peace with the Empire, they were busy getting their old economy back in gear. Seeqs carried their loads, Bangaas dabbled in trade routes, the capital's few Viera helped in their own ways, and the Humes oversaw everything.

Perhaps it was because of the end of the occupation, but the city was in greater spirits then it had been in a long time. With the expectation to progress to something better then what they had earlier, everyone seemed to be in a good mood, one could walk so freely and casually in parts of the city that had once been plagued by pick-pockets and thieves.

Freedom from oppressive rule was like this, everyone rejoiced. Weather or not the situation would actually improve, or how long it would take to improve it, wasn't on their minds. From where the people of Dalmasca stood, the Empire was gone from their lands, it could only get better from here, nothing could get in the way of future happiness.

They would be more concerned, if they knew what those men leaving the city were capable of.

"Why does humankind even bother?" Kadaj paced out to the Eastersand, "Like anything is going to be any different." He turned around, gazing at the royal capital as he walked backwards. With a smirk at the futility of their attempt to rebuild, he turned himself around to his assigned task.

The man next to him, Xande, remained expressionless and wordless, simply happy to be out of the city. Too many people had spoken of the years of Imperial rule and how much they had lost to time. All the talk about the passage of years, of time, it reminded him of what he feared most.

To squash his fears for the moment, he looked out to the distance, seeing what looked like a pillar rising from the ground at an eccentric angle. Though obscured by both distance and clouds, he knew full well what it was, much like the warrior of Vana'diel, the one he and Kadaj were to find was likely wandering around it, trying to figure out what had happened to him.

Waiting in the distance was Gabranth. It would have been… undesirable, for him to have been moving through the city in the plating of an Archadian judge. With a simple scoff of acknowledgement, he turned in the direction of their destination.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the city, a Samurai, who was clearly not native to the area, paced through the Bazaar. On his back was a large pack, which seemed to fidget around by itself.

The Hume sighed at his circumstances, the people would not have recognized Shantotto's species, if anyone saw her, it would create many unpleasant questions. So she had been gracelessly stuffed into a backpack of sorts.

Cosmos had at least offered him some help outside of Shantotto. According to Shantotto, there were others serving Cosmos, they were busy tracking down others that had been called for the war. Most of them were probably still looking, or were in the process of returning to Cosmos, but Cosmos had sent two Warriors to the Samurai's aide, one pre-established Warrior, and one that had only recently been called.

The first was a young rebel, with an almost unsettling amount of weapons. Firion, was it? The other was difficult to describe outside of his eyes. Vincent, he seemed like he was always thinking about something that had happened to him before, even as his attention focused on the task at hand.

"So, a new Warrior of Cosmos is somewhere in this city?" Firion tilted his gaze from one side to another. Not that he would speak it out loud, but more specific directions would have been appreciated.

"Walking around here won't get us anywhere." The Samurai straightened himself up, "Hey, Firion, right?"

Firion nodded. The man was still getting used to his and Vincent's name.

"Take my little Tarutaru pack, I have an idea of where to start searching."

"Hey, don't think of me as a-"

"Be quiet, Shantotto." the Hume interjected. "You yourself said that your appearance would draw unnecessary attention, do refrain from talking."

The Tarutaru quieted down inside the bag as Firion pulled it off the Hume's back. A small pause as the Samurai spun around to help Firion fasten the back onto the young rebel's back.

"I'll wander off for a while, best not to look like an armed group." The Hume looked away to the area of town out of the Bazaar. "You two just continue asking around here, we can meet up later." The Samurai paced away.

* * *

Sky Fortress Bahamut had certainly seen better days. The flying fortress had crashed outside of Rabanastre after the battle that had earned Dalmasca its freedom, now it effectively served as a symbol of what had to be done away with to put Dalmasca and the Archadia Empire on good terms with each other.

Gabranth could recall the fight he had endured here, and the injury that had ended up costing him his life. He no longer had any reason to have any loyalty to… that man. Yet, as part of the war, he had little choice in this matter. As he entered the wreckage of the station ahead of his two "allies", he took notice of the destruction, even if he was supposed to guide the other two to where the next Warrior of Shinryu might be, he would barely be able to find his way through the fortress in its current state.

Passageways were blocked by debris, some catwalks had outright collapsed, and doors could not be opened thanks to the obvious lack of power. It was a nightmare to navigate, the only constellation was that no one but their target was here, it was, according to Shinryu, in their best interest to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

The thought of incurring the divine dragon's wrath was, well…

* * *

The Vana'diel Hume walked in the only place in the city that seemed to house a large amount of people, a place called the Sandsea. It was, in essence, a simple bar of sorts. The moment he had walked in, all eyes went to him, but then went back to what they were all doing.

He didn't spend much time in bars, he'd usually walk in, drink a drink, then leave without a word. Of course, it didn't help that he had done so much fighting in Vana'diel that, more likely then not, he'd be recognized if he walked in one.

"Hey, stranger, grab a seat." A man on the other end of the counter beckoned.

"You here for the extermination-and-supply missions?" The bar-keeper examined the Samurai's face, a small grin went across his face as the Hume's confused expression. "Well, that's okay, someone like you could find some other work. Guys who can fight can always find work."

"That… that's not what I'm here for." The Samurai crossed his arms and leaned forward onto the counter. "I'm just looking for someone."

"A guy like you?" The bar-keep gave the Samurai a quick look-over, "You've clearly seen your own share of battle, so who might you be looking for."

"I don't know, I just know the person is in this city." The Hume raised his gaze skyward, eyeing the balcony above the counter. "Do you know where I would find the strongest person in the city?"

"Ah…" The bar-keep's eyes trailed away from the conversation. "That can be a dangerous question to ask, but perhaps you could start at the palace?" He positioned his whole body in the direction of the castle. "Many of Dalmasca's finest warriors are in there. If you're looking for the best, it's a good place to start."

* * *

Ashe sighed to herself, trying to suck in the situation she was in, becoming queen.

She knew it would happen eventually, just, not so soon. She also, truly, wished that she could have had Rassler with her for this, but she couldn't obsess over what could have been. No other man could have deserved being a king alongside her, no matter what other members of the nobility might have said… or desired. That was another element of stress in her status as a soon-to-be-queen, eventually _they _would line up, seeing her as a gate that could acquire kingship for one of them.

For once, she was in casual attire. Really just the outfit she had worn during the majority of the time that Dalmasca has been occupied by the Empire, to think that Dalmasca was now on good terms with that nation.

_If it hadn't been for Larsa's insight of the situation, then…_

She was standing at the edge of a balcony at the castle, overlooking the Bazaar section. Normally she'd just see the random sights of people buying and selling, but this time something in particular caught her eye.

A man, two men, walking away from the Bazaar. What had caught her eye was the one walking behind the other, dressed in deep red, and they were both walking with a distinct purpose. That alone wasn't notable, but the fact was that their purposeful walk was leading them straight towards the castle.

Ashe detached herself from her staring and moved back to a nearby rack of weapons, she firmly wrapped her hands around the handle of the Sword of Kings. Perhaps she was over-reacting, but for some reasons, those two… she had a feeling.

* * *

"Some navigator you are." Kadaj smirked as the three finally reached the roof of the fortress. The Remnant's smirk disappeared as quickly as it appeared as he witnessed a figure standing opposite of the platform they were on.

"Allow me to speak to the emperor." Xande placed himself ahead of the other two, but only a few steps before he stopped. "I can tell, you and he are not friends." Xande turned his gaze to Gabranth, who had yet to speak a single world to anybody, before returning his gaze to the forefront. Staff in hand, Xande marched several steps up, as he neared, the man opposite of man suddenly tilted his head up to a level position, slowly, he turned himself around.

"Greetings, Emperor Vayne." Xande worded calmly as the regal man dressed around. Vayne's hair swept with the movement as the emperor examined this man.

"Who do I owe the pleasure?" Vayne's personality was elegant and refined, but it hided dark ambitions, the sort he would, and in one occasion, did, kill family members for.

"Why, I am but a humble mage, but I have need of your… abilities." Xande allowed a smile to gleam across his face at Vayne's lack of fear. Yet the man would need more then a prideful lack of fear, where he was going.

"You will find that nil are the number of those would find me easy to manipulate."

"It's not me who is trying to manipulate you." Xande's smile never wavered. "Nor do I intend to merely use you. Join with me, and your dream of becoming a new Dynast-King can be made reality."

Vayne flinched, the knowledge of the root of his ambitions was known only to a select few, the few he hand-picked with that knowledge.

"Permit me to ask…" Vayne lightly closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Who are you?"

* * *

The Vana'diel Hume was pacing his way towards the castle, weaving in and out through the crowd, until finally coming to the gate. As he finally reached the gate, a certain something occurred to him.

_My name and exploits mean nothing in this world. How do I get in?_

"Sounds like you heard the same things we did." Firion's voice called from behind, the Hume turned around at the waist to see Firion, Shantotto still in the bag, and Vincent walk up to him.

"This search is a dead end, we have no way to enter the castle." Vincent glanced at the front gate, posted guards were there to deal with any potential intruders. "If we're to find someone inside the castle, we need a different approach."

* * *

Ashe held her breath, just as she had expected, the two men, joined by a third, had stopped right in front of the castle gate. They were discussing something amongst themselves, right in plain sight. She tightened her grip on the Sword of Kings… but then quickly relaxed herself. Dogged persistence for peace might give way to extremism, and those three had yet to do something outright suspicious, other then dress out of the ordinary.

She lifted her head up from the three and planned to put her sword away, only to see a bright light in the distance, coming from the direction of… the remains of Sky Fortress Bahamut?

* * *

"So, you are in agreement?" Xande raised his chin, "Very good. Things would have been… unpleasant, had you refused."

"I am no stranger to alliances of convenience." Vayne placed his arms behind his back and walked past the dark-skinned sorcerer. "Neither am I a stranger to war."

"Trust me, you've never seen a war like this before." Kadaj stood with his back to the two men talking. He slowly raised his hand into the air, the power of his Materia brimming bright in his wrist. "Allow me to show you what a single Warrior is capable of."

"Kadaj! Stop! We can't allow any clues to be left behind!" Gabranth lunged at the Remant's arm, flying straight through the air in the hope of stopping or diverting the blast. He wasn't fast enough, a blast of magic burst from Kadaj's hand, heading straight towards the city of Rabanstre.

"Idiot." Xande's eyes followed the blast that was fast slicing through the air. "We can't give anyone the slightest indication that something happened here."

* * *

"You can't leave without one, otherwise your task is not done." Shantotto spoke from inside the bag.

"Quiet." The Hume elbowed the contents of the bag, discomforting Firion in the process, "Anyway, stealth isn't an option, not when I'm in all this armor."

"Neither is force, I'd imagine we'd want to be discreet about this." Firion straightened himself up after the sudden elbow that pressed into his back.

"Discreet?" Vincent paused and looked up to the upper designs of the castle. "This is a castle, whoever is in it is likely influential, a disappearance would surely be…" he trailed off and returned his head to a more level position.

"Then we need to find anoth-" that was as far as the Samurai managed to get, as a large blue blast streaked across the sky. Seeing only a blue glow at the top of his vision, he raised his head to see a blast slam into the castle, tearing through half of one of the towers. Leaving the tower precariously on only half of its intended support.

_I need to do someth-_ The Samurai cut himself off. _No, I'm not supposed to let myself be known. I must have discretion._

A pause.

_Ah, to hell with that._ The Samurai sprang forward, knocking his way past the guards that were in a daze from the sight of the destruction.

"He's having another of his impetuous times…" Shantotto chimed in, having gotten too curious at the sound of the explosion. She placed herself in a position where she could peer outside of the bag. "You two had better catch him, if you want our objective to go along just fine."

* * *

Ashe blinked, trying to conclude it had been some kind of hallucination, but it wasn't. Half of the lower section of the tower she was in, the one that held the balcony she was standing in, had been destroyed. Quickly she reaffirmed her grip on the Sword of Kings and turned around, she had to leave this particular tower right now. An evacuation was also necessary, but those patrolling the streets were probably already on it.

Still, an attack on the castle itself was quite daring, it would give anyone the perfect opportunity to slip into the castle. Her mind suddenly swam with the possibility of an assassination attempt of some sort… possibly from someone who was disgruntled by her decision to make peace with the Empire, or someone who wanted her out of the way for one thing or another.

It was a bit too… grandiose, for assassination. At least, by orthodox standards, assassins were as discreet as possible, blowing a section out of the castle? Out of the question. Perhaps an army had rallied an army to attack and it escaped Dalmasca's notice?

Her thoughts were cut short as she heard some sounds, talking, no, more like arguing, coming from below her.

She was on a flight of stairs, so she merely looked over the rail to see three people, the same three that had been in front of the palace, and it seemed that they were disagreeing about something.

"Listen, I'm not saying that I don't respect that kind of attitude, but you can't do things like this." One man with a turban seemed to be losing patience with a another man across from him, wearing armor.

"Look, I saw an opportunity, it was best to simply take it." The man in the armor retorted, "Besides, we were contemplating how to get into the castle, this seemed like a convenient situation."

Ashe felt just slightly relieved, but at the same time, began to tense up. The exchange of words told her that the three likely had little to do with the attack on the tower, but she remained ignorant of their goals and intentions.

"I tend to be impulsive, but charging into the castle of a nation we have no hostility with?"

"How else were we going to get in?" The Hume wasn't a particularly impulsive or impetuous person, but he was aware of the need for decisive actions in certain situations. "We need to find the strongest person in the city, and we were led to the castle, so we find the person and leave in the chaos."

That statement more then confused Ashe. It painted the three as wandering opportunists, but… the strongest person in town? Her mind couldn't fathom a reason to desire that.

Strongest person? With Vaan and Penelo away as sky-pirates, she probably fit that description better then anyone else. Yet, what would they do if they knew that? Perhaps it was time to reveal herself.

Possibly a bad move, if they were immoral types, they might try to slaughter her at first glance, but still she walked into plain sight.

The Samurai might have continued his argument, until he saw a sudden change in Firion's face, and that his eyes were focusing on something else. The Hume turned around to behold a woman at the foot of a staircase.

"Who are you?" The Samurai raised an eyebrow at the sight of the unfamiliar character. The Samurai tilted his head to examine her, and then he noticed her outfit. "Well, in my experience, people who dress like complete nuts tend to be quite strong."

Ashe flinched and looked down at her outfit, then back up at him. "I don't think that has anything to do with the current situation." She pointed a finger at the three, "Who are you? Why did you break into the castle?"

The Samurai paused and looked back at the entrance, then back at Ashe. "Technically speaking, no actual "breaking in" was involved, and I-"

"Let me do the talking." A voice emanated from… from behind the man with the turban. "While you're at it, you might be interested in just walking." A small figure bounded up from behind the man, landing squarely in front of the three men.

"_What_ are you?" Ashe's bewildered tone demanded.

"Well, for a lady, that's not a proper thing to say." The small figure painted itself as almost endlessly smug with just one sentence. "We'll have much to discuss on this day."

* * *

"To think that I have to actually save this city." Xande scoffed, expressing a glare of ill-intent at Kadaj. "I have some experience with manipulating time, I'll simply return the city to the point of time it had been at before you attacked it."

"What's the problem?" Kadaj casually walked away as Xande lifted his left arm up. "You don't actually care about these people, do you?"

"Do you fancy angering an immortal dragon?" Xande begin to feel, and see, wisps of darkness rising from his arm. "We shall leave no evidence of our activity. Shinryu wants as little clues left in the worlds as possible."

Vayne raised an eyebrow at the mention of the name "Shinryu", but dissuaded himself. The leader of these three, without a doubt. Like them, they might eventually find themselves much lower on the totem pole then they thought they were.

* * *

"I can see that you are no stranger to war, yet to you, peace is certainly no bore." Shantotto had already introduced herself and her three companions. "While you might find are reasons to be somewhat odd, we really do need to find another pea for the pod."

"You mean this war? Why would I abandon Dalmasca for it? And why would I believe you aren't insane?" Ashe shook her head, refusing to listen to what these three were trying to say. "If all of existence was really in danger, Ivalice should be in turmoil right now."

"We can't be sure if all of existence is truly in danger." Firion stepped forward, "But, we know that the worlds will suffer if something isn't done."

"Do you even understand what you're asking?" Ashe sighed, realizing she was trying to get out of the tower, not argue with simple fools that snuck in. "You have no proof you're from another world."

"You ever see anyone dressed like us?" The Samurai offered a scrap of proof. "You were probably watching when that blast hit, you ever see a magic blast that looked like that."

"That blast was Materia." Vincent, during the conversation, had leaned onto the wall, with his head lowered, eyes closed, and arms crossed. "It comes from my world."

"Suppose that I believe this story, I am a princess, soon to be queen, I can't just leave Dalmasca like this."

Firion's eyes traced away to the wall, "I know that royalty have responsibilities to their nation, but-"

His sentence ended there, a strong rumbling suddenly emanated from under their feet. The stonework trembled, and then slid.

"What… what's happening?"

"Well…" the Samurai fell into a kneeling position as the floor beneath him began to shift. "Here's your proof that the world is in turmoil."

"Not turmoil, this magic force is based on darkness… and time." Shantotto paused, "Someone's repairing the castle to make it once again fine."

"Is… that… good?" Firion wavered with the moving floor.

"Not if we want to honor Cosmos' vow." Shantotto answered, "I'm sorry, but we need to leave now."

"What?" Ashe lost her balance and fell to her side. "Who… is, Cos-"

"Cosmos!" Firion called out. A bright orb of light shimmered into existence in the center between all five of them.

"I'm… sorry you had to get involved in this." The Samurai covered his eyes as the light began to shine brighter, "I don't even know exactly what's going on just yet."

The light continued to grow brighter, enveloping all five Warriors, and then dispersing, with none of the warriors in sight.

* * *

"Problem fixed." Xande relaxed the magical energy coursing through him as the castle returned to its complete structure. "The structural problem, at least."

"What?" Gabranth turned his head as Xande fashioned a cruel smile on his face.

"I fixed it with dark power, naturally I wouldn't leave any traces."

"Might I ask what connotations your sentence had?" Vayne queried from behind.

"Nothing for you to worry about, emperor." Xande turned around, with a swat of his hand he opened a portal of darkness. "Anyone who was still in the city would have their mind wiped of all of today's occurrences, and any knowledge of the war would have been eradicated."

* * *

**Hm, I feel that this is one of my weaker chapters, but I don't think re-writing it is really going to do any good, either.**

**Please review.**


	14. XIII The Soldier & The Fal'Cie

**Lots of new costumes have been revealed for 012. Many of them are quite good, much better then the first Dissidia, where Cloud and Shantotto were the only characters I preferred in their alt outfits.**

**Just... wish that Kuja's third outfit gave him actual, you know, clothes. The guy's a cool character, but that outfit is just... gah. At least Bartz gets a third outfit that covers up that twig-frame of his. On that note, am I the only one who thinks that Bartz's neck seems slightly stretched in Dissidia?**

**Also, we might be getting a new XIII character, but from the looks of it, it'll be another hero. Placeholder data in Prologus shows the XIII logo with a white background. If this is true, I'd be satisfied with either Snow or Sazh.**

**Here we go on XIII.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

This place was dangerous. While it wasn't really anything that they couldn't handle, the non-stop flood of monsters could push any regular person over the edge.

They were lucky that they couldn't really be looked at "regular" people.

The group had risen to five members with the addition of the princess, but she certainly had not warmed up to anyone. The Samurai was in no hurry to blame her, seeing as what they did could have been interpreted as kidnapping in a way. Be that as it may, she had been reasonably civil, and acknowledged that the four weren't enemies.

They were walking across a plain that hosted a brutal array of monsters, the next warrior to find was supposed to be somewhere in this world, and they were supposed to have appeared in the world reasonably close to the warrior in question. Yet after several hours of searching, they had found nothing.

This was second-nature to the Samurai, so used to battling the wilderness as he was. Perhaps it was like this with all adventurers, but a place away from other people was refreshing for him. Though this particular wilderness was stifled by the fact he was traveling with four other people.

Firion seemed to dislike the sheer quietness that Vincent, along with the Hume and Ashe, exhibited. Though he wasn't much of a talker, the complete lack of conversation was starting to irk him. Though the all too chatty, and all too arrogant Shantotto made him wonder if it was a blessing that the others didn't talk much.

* * *

Cocoon had received more then its share of damage, losing its power source and almost crash-landing, until it was stopped by a crystal formation. Their home in the sky was no more without Orphan powering it, and they had all been forced to live new lives on the surface of the planet they had grown up terrified of.

Though she had learned to be more patient with other people during the events surrounding Cocoon's plummet, Lightning was still plenty capable of operating solo. As she traveled the landscape of Pulse, she allowed herself a small inner smile as she recognized the landscape, she had traversed yhis area during her time on Pulse with her companions. Now she was all alone in her explorations, perhaps some part of her was reminiscing on the older times, even if it was one crisis after another.

Then she noticed something she had never spotted before, on the ground there were footprints. She crouched down to examine what she found, exactly five pairs, immediately her thoughts contemplated the chance of them belonging to humans still living on Pulse, then her eyes wandered to one particular set of foot prints much too small for a human walking around Pulse. Unless it was a small child…

Standing back up, she decided to follow these footprints.

* * *

The interior of Cocoon was in pieces after its near destruction, Orphan's Cradle, the core of the aerial society, had endured particularly bad damage, especially the room where Orphan had dwelt. Reaching this location was nearly impossible from the outside, the portal that would normally take you there was now in-active, but for the Warriors of Shinryu…

A portal of darkness materialized, from out of it stepped General Leo and Golbez. The taller armored figure made a quick sweep of the area, quickly spotting what he was looking for.

In this room on the ground, lay an aged man, holding a staff. Like most of the Warriors of Shinryu, this person had been returned to life by the divine dragon for the sole purpose of taking part in the upcoming war.

The person in question, though seemingly human, was quite a different sort of creature. Something else masquerading as a human, not quite a deity, but close.

"Galenth Dysley." Leo spoke.

"Wake up… Fal'cie." Golbez said, Galenth stirred from the summons, his human eyes slowly sliding open, they had a dazed and dizzy appearance for a small moment, but then they drifted to the two people towering over him.

Barely a second after his mind registered the fact, he vanished in a burst of light, reappearing in a standing position behind the two men.

"I am not familiar with you two." He muttered, then his eyes slowly moved to the disrepair of the domain of the battery of Cocoon. "They willfully defied their one chance of salvation to the end."

"And in doing so, they deprived you of your one chance to be freed of your burden." Golbez took two steps forward. "Yet we can offer you the chance to summon the Maker, as you desired."

Galenth's eyes half-closed, almost laughing at the thought that these two could truly assist in him summoning the Maker.

"All we require of you, is to take part in a war crafted by the being known as Shinryu." Leo continued for Golbez. Though the general had understood the true nature of most of the Warriors of Shinryu, he didn't doubt that Shinryu likely did have the power to perform such an act.

"That name is not familiar to me." Galenth carefully watched the two men before him, as an owl fluttered down and landed on his shoulder. "Ah, but I sense you are confident of this Shinryu's ability to grant me a new purpose from the Maker."

"Cocoon holds no loyalty or allegiance to your kind anymore, Barthandelus." As Golbez finished the last word of the sentence, Galenth's eyes snapped to the armored man. "However perhaps you could take a former pawn to assist the enemy? Shinryu has a most… peculiar interest."

* * *

The owners of the tracks clearly hadn't been moving fast, as Lightning had already caught up to them. Four humans and a… child, perhaps? She readied her gunblade, just in case they ended up being hostile, she made a slow approach.

Vincent's eyes slowly trailed to the left as he turned his head, his hand slowly caressing the hilt of his gun as his fingers shift into position. He suddenly pulled the pistol out of its holster and turned around, his weapon pointing directly at the one following behind them.

_When did I give myself away?_ Lightning breathed out and slowly approached the five, quietly putting her gunblade back into its holster. Trying her best to express a look of peace on her face, attempting to look as friendly as possible.

After a moment, Vincent put his gun down, his companions having already turned around to examine this surprise intruder. As Vincent stood where he was, the other four moved up to the woman.

"Are you… residents of Gran Pulse?" Lightning inquired as the four stopped right in front of her. "I'm from Cocoon."

"Never heard of either place." Shantotto spoke up, "Your introduction falls flat on its face."

Lightning turned to the Tarutaru, unaware that it wasn't a child she was speaking to, she simply dismissed the mage. Besides, a question had obviously come to her mind.

"You… don't know what Pulse is? Haven't you lived here your whole lives?" Lightning raised an eyebrow as the entire group, minus the Tarutaru, suddenly shifted uncomfortably on their feet.

"We…" A woman about Lightning's height stepped forward, her tone, and the look of her eyes, conveyed uncertainty. The soldier was prepared to hear a lie.

Something she wasn't prepared for, was a sudden explosion behind her. She snapped around to see fire reaching up in the air, and at the base of the flames was…

"Impossible." Lightning noted the three figures right in front of the blaze, and though the one to the left and the one to the right were foreign to her, the one in the middle…

"You're supposed to be dead." Lightning pulled her gunblade out at the sight of the center figure.

"The fates have allowed me a second chance to restore this world." Dysley noted, "And you will have a part in it all."

"Shut up." Lightning raised her gun blade and pointed it right at Dysley's face. "I can defy you, just like last time."

"The situation is quite different this time." Dysley smiled out of the corner of his mouth. "Picture a board where the pawns are of all origins and beliefs. Picture a game played on the whim of a being beyond even Fal'cie."

Minerva, the owl, fluttered down and landed on Dysley's shoulder. Galenth Dysley's grin shrank, seeming now to be observing the ones behind Lightning.

"Ah, you are the pawns that would oppose me." He turned around as his body began to fade away. "I shall wait for you, as you willingly take part in the battle that will pour new meaning into the world."

The armored figure, Golbez, began to fade without as much as a word. Leo followed soon after, leaving the six by themselves.

"How did he come back? He was completely destroyed." Lightning muttered as she lowered her gunblade, "Vanille and Fang's sacrifices won't amount to anything if he's allowed to roam free." She turned back to the five, her expression far more grave then it had been earlier. "He seemed to know you who were, do you know where he is now?"

"Yes." The man with the turban answered, "He's in the place we're heading to right now."

"Take me there." Lightning placed her gunblade back into its holster. "I'll stop him now."

Shantotto made a nod and walked in the middle of the group. She took in air and looked above her.

"Cosmos!"

* * *

**Bleh, a more boring chapter, but there wasn't really anyone else I could pick. I suppose Snow could have worked, but his style of fighting and his personality are a bit too similar to Zell. (Beyond the fact that Zell was far more respectful to authority)**

**Please review.**


	15. XIV The Gridanian & The Legatus

**In this first chapter, Shinryu was stated to have summoned warriors by the use of fourteen different crystals, but I'm willing to bet that most of you forget/ignored/didn't notice it. I'm fairly certain characters from XIV was not what most of you expected.**

**This chapter took a bit of effort, since, while a XIV chapter had been planned from the beginning, I had to do a lot of research on a game that I haven't played. Unlike XI, there isn't a particular wealth of information about XIV's plot just yet, but I was able to choose appopriate characters.**

**Well, I was able to choose an appopriate villain. My XIV hero is a character in the same vein as Vana'diel Hume.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"_Each tree, each shrub, each leaf, each blade of grass-we treat them as our own sons and daughters. And for that, we are loved by the wood."_

When the moon rises, most people would tuck themselves away in the forested city-state of Gridania, but a few of them dared to venture out. With the tendrils of the dark night lacing their way through the forest, stymied only by the moonlight. Night in the forest of Gridania was the perfect time for moonlit walks. It was old habit for a certain trio to venture through the trees until they found a nice bit of dirt to sit at.

The first member of this little group was a Hyur Midlander male, just a bit under the age of a proper adventurer, but still he was out there. Untested, and highly introverted, but willing. The brown-haired Hyur sat patiently on the dirt with his two friends.

The second member was a Miqo'te girl, one of the Keepers of The Moon, the same height as the Hyur due to her race's slightly shorter sight. Rather then an archer, she was a Marauder, as could be seen by the two-handed axe tied to her back.

The final member was another Hyur Midlander, this one a female Conjurer. The red haired girl stood just an inch and a half over the boy's height, a wand in her hands, she sat to the side of her two friends.

"Oh, hey." The boy reached into his pocket, pulling out a plate with a metal frame. On the center of the plate was ornate crystal stain. "Someone gave this to me earlier, perhaps we should check it out?"

The two others turned to examine the Guildleve he had pulled out. At once, the Conjurer raised an eyebrow at the design on the crystal. Nothing like anything she had ever seen on a Guildleve before, on the top of the design was what appeared to be a dragon, and on the bottom was a woman dressed in white, and she looked like she was in pain.

"Who gave this to you?" The Miqo'te inquired as she reached an arm out to softly grip the edge of the Guildleve. "I've never seen one like this."

"I never got his name." The archer shook his head and continued his examination of his Guildleve. "It was this guy with blue hair, and he kept talking about freedom from cycles… or something like that."

The Conjurer cocked her head with a touch of inquisition as she tried to put herself in a position to get a better look at the Guildleve. "You sure that one's safe? It doesn't look like any Guildleve I've seen."

Guildleves depicted a deed by one of Eorzea's patron saints, the "guardians". They were something of a portal to adventures, the plates could be categorized as "Wisdom", "Tenacity", "Valor", Veracity", and "Diligence". Regulated by guild masters, the three friends had been entitled to very few of them, yet here was one unlike anything they had ever seen.

Suddenly, without any warning, the Guildleve began to shake in the Hyur's hand. The metal frame had a sharp upward spike on its temperature.

"Wait, there really is something wrong with that one." The Miqo'te spoke as the Hyur boy's fingers started to burn on the metal. "Give it to me!" The Miqo'te Marauder snatched the Guildleve from the Hyur's hand and held it in front of her. Her first impulse would have been to slice it in two, regardless as to weather or not it was rare, but before she should try anything a brilliant light shined from the Guildleve, bright enough to blind the three in the forest normally dimly lit only by moonlight.

As the light died away, their vision returned, but only the vision of two of them. The two Hyur were still there, but the Miqo'te had vanished, and the Guildleve was hovering in the air, surrounded by an orange energy. After a moment the energy dispersed, the design on the stained crystal faded to a deep black that obscured the original image, and the Guildleve promptly began to fall.

The male Hyur made a small movement to try and swipe the Guildleve out of the air, but he was too far away. The Guildleve struck the ground just as he reached it, and the small object shattered into chunks on the ground.

"N-no…" The archer just stared at the chunks. Somehow, he felt that those chunks meant that he would never see the Miqo'te again, sucked inside it, perhaps. The Conjurer placed a solemn hand of comfort on his shoulder as his eyes continued to lay firmly on the scattered remains of the Guildleve.

In truth, while the Guildleve was directly responsible for the Miqo'te's disappearance, she was most certainly not trapped inside it. She had been sent to the place where Shinryu's war was about to begin.

* * *

The land of the Garlean Empire was efficiently and effectively controlled, nothing could get by what was by far the strongest nation in Eorzea. The armies and resistance movements that came to meet them were always destroyed. Even as they tried to hide away and strike at weak points in the Empire, their attempts would fail, and the remnants of previously larger forces were systematically hunted down and killed.

Even so, for this particular area, a Legatus was called in after reports of Imperial personal disappearing during scouting operations. Leading a cadre of Imperial Lancers, the Legatus, Zulvan,

This was a fairly wooded area, though not wooded enough to make you have difficulty seeing where a person was or what they looked like. Yet no reports on who or what was causing Imperial disappearances. Despite these oddities, Zulvan had no fear, his frightening visage was free of this emotion, and so, he continued marching his soldiers on a patrol through the area.

And then it happened.

A single blast of fire ripped through the air, Zulvan easily spun to the side, evading the blast and letting it strike an expendable soldier behind him. Zulvan turned his gaze in the direction the blast had come from, seeing the outline of a distant man. With a forced slow motion, Zulvan pulled his Gunblade from his back as the distant man attacked again.

This time it was a Thunder spell, Zulvan easily dodged the sudden electrical flurry, but his soldiers lacked his split-second movement, several of them took the blast at full-force, leaving them in crumpled heaps.

"Is only one of you truly capable?" The man in the distance walked forward, revealing himself. With his blue hair and the outfit of the Maester of the Yevon religion, Seymour Guado calmly appeared before them. "It's just as well, for I require only one."

Zulvan spoke nothing, merely raising his left arm, an energy gun of sorts mounted on the armor. He point it at Zulvan, and-

"I like that attitude…" An unfamiliar voice called from behind. Zulvan did not initially divert his attention from Seymour, but he did so after the sound of a chain reached his ears, followed by the sound of his soldiers being harmed. "…but I believe you're aiming at the wrong person."

Zulvan turned around to see a man in heavy armor, wielding one of the largest swords he had ever seen, walk where Zulvan's cadre had been a moment ago. The soldiers were lying on the ground, utterly decimated.

"Do you truly plan to oppose the Garlean Empire?" Zulvan spoke his first words to the two, tightening his grip on his gunblade.

"Not at all." Seymour answered, "We merely… have a proposition for you."

* * *

**Zulvan had an awesome intro in XIV at the end of the "Futures Perfect" quest where he fights off Yda, Y'shtola, Thancred, and Papalymo. He certainly had a creative way to end the fight.**

**As for our hero, much like Vana'diel Hume, here we have Eorzea Miqo'te. Whereas I palced the Hume in the Myochin armor set from XI, due to a lack of knowledge of XIV, I'm picturing the Miqo'te to be in the beginning Gladiator outfit, even if she is a Marauder. The Gladiator outfit just looks better to me, considering that she does live in Gridania.**

**Also. LAST CHARACTER INTRODUCTION CHAPTER. The actual plot starts moving next chapter. Yeah, you know, the thing that had been implied in the Prologue? Yeah, we'll be continuing that next time.**

**I hear that XIV wasn't recieved all that well. Seems the general agreement is that it's a "step backwards" from XI. I'd still play it, mostly because, from what I hear XI was a bit over-dependent on forming the right party, and XIV is more solo friendly. I'm willing to ignore gameplay faults if the story is good, and FF generally hasn't disappointed ever since VI.**

**Please review.**

**(On a lesser note, if I hadn't chosen Zulvan, the only character whom I think could be used as a XIV villain is Travanchet, our dear telekenesis using Elezen.)**


	16. The Warriors

**This chapter... how should I put it? It's almost like a drabble collection, if my definition of "drabble" is accurate. A reafirmation of all the characters, and the start of the story.**

**Man... fifty characters in all? That's going to be one hell of a challenge to balance.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Shinryu's domain, a remolded version of the Edge of Madness, now stood host to no less then twenty-five Warriors of Shinryu. Some world conquerors, others, would-be destroyers of existence, they had laid plan upon plain, formed conspiracy after conspiracy, committed murder after murder, all to attain their individual desires.

Shinryu's domain, known as Divinity's Core, would be the place from which the Divine Dragon could watch the war.

Standing opposite of it, so far away on this fragmented world, was Order's Sanctuary, unchanged from the last war. It, too, sheltered exactly twenty-five warriors, the Warriors of Cosmos. The antithesis of the Warriors of Shinryu, these were people who, through force of will, through endurance, through their unstoppable desire for just causes, had prevailed through their own quests in their own worlds.

Yet what stood before them would be a quest like no other, and what's more, they still did not know who commanded their enemy.

* * *

Zulvan stood patiently in Divinity's Core, speaking nary a word to anyone. When approached by an… ally, he would cast his gaze around as if the speaker didn't exist before walking away.

He would not speak casually to them, he would not provide the others such an opportunity. His relationship with the others was one of strict convenience, with no warmth.

He saw the manipulators, Mateus, Ultimecia, Zemus, he would not give them any leverage on him. There was no lost love in the strictly professional relationships between Zulvan and the others.

* * *

The Miqo'te wasn't sure what to think. Sitting cross-legged on the water, with her axe resting in her lap, she pondered what she had gotten involved in. She had been taken to partake in the war between Cosmos and… some other being. Was she up for this? More importantly, should she even be here? Her two companions must be worrying about her right now.

She was just an adventurer, though she had some combat to her credit, something like this seemed over and above her. These were the sort of times she needed her companions with her, the Archer and the Conjurer always had something encouraging to say. They could give her the confidence to fight hell… she could do the same for either of them. That's why they were so inseparable, the Warriors of Cosmos, she couldn't say how she'd interact with them.

* * *

Dysley inwardly grinned at the sight of the other Warriors of Shinryu. Fools that could be manipulated to his plans, even if, for the moment, he had to outwardly regard them as equals.

Still, a necessary sacrifice to bring the Maker back, to find a new meaning and purpose for the world. That was all that mattered.

* * *

Lightning had no taste for this. First she had been a l'cie, and now she was forced to fight for another being who was supposedly so much beyond her. She had little interest in the will of gods and deities, even if she supposedly owed her existence to them. She did not allow herself to believe that that alone meant that she owed any loyalty to them.

Yet for some reason, the other "Warriors of Cosmos" didn't share her disdain for obeying the whims of a woman who laid upon the ground, nearly half-dead. Lightning could feel a trace of pity for her, but after her own dealings with the Fal'Cie, she was willing to just chalk it up to her punishment for taking the title of a deity.

The only reason she was here was because Dysley had come back, somehow. She'd just have to put up with this for now. Yet is she ever thought that Cosmos was misleading her in any way, then…

* * *

Vayne lightly closed his eyes, pondering his unrestrained allies. Few of them had a taste for subtlety, though many of them understand the long-term, much as he did. If they desired, perhaps they could have also ended the tyranny of the gods, many of them did have power beyond him when he was separated from the nethicite.

In fact, many of them, under their own power, were beyond what Sky Fortress Bahamut was capable of, but Vayne had his own trump-card.

Smiling on the inside, yet remaining emotionless on his exterior, he opened his eyes to gauge the Warriors of Shinryu. When power was his, they would all be…

* * *

Gabranth seethed at the reality that he had been returned to the cycle, even if this one was of massively different circumstances. Fighting for the sake of a being so meaningless to him, a being that had a mutual lack of concern for Gabranth and the others.

The complete hatred for what he had no choice to partake in left him with unfocused thoughts. His arms trembled from the disgust coursing through him, images of him brutally eviscerating the other Warriors of Shinryu flooded his mind, but he'd dare not act on such impulses.

Standing away, refusing association with everyone, the Judge Magister reaffirmed his grip on his weapon as he stood at a distance from everyone else.

* * *

Ashe could scarcely believe the situation she was in, a pawn to another deity. A false saint once more, if Cosmos was anything like the Occuria. Though, looking at the woman in such pain on the ground, it felt hard to hate her right now. It also complicated matters that many of the other Warriors of Cosmos didn't seem to have any critical negative qualities.

After seeing the Occuria desire the destruction of all of the Archadian Empire out of some haughty belief in their own virtue, when the actual crime had been perpetrated by only a few select individuals of the Empire, had forever left her skeptical of any goodness from a deity.

* * *

Eald'Narche stood with his arms crossed. Even after having seen Shinryu for so little time, he had already realized that siphoning just the slightest portion of Shinryu's power would be enough to pry open the gate of the gods.

Yet how could he siphon any amount of power from the dragon? Just looking at the creature… it could destroy Eald'Narche with a simple flex of its power, and it was no fool either, it couldn't be, not if it was masterminding this war.

He was left with no choice, but to wait, wait for an opportune moment.

* * *

Shantotto was already confident about the chances of the Warriors of Cosmos, even if they knew nothing about who was leading the enemy. This fact would have been overly predictable to those familiar with her character, but as she walked around Order's Sanctuary, the smile on her face seemed to stand in sharp contrast to the feeling of the others.

To her, an attempt to display her magic was an opportunity not to be ignored, regardless of the situation. Her endless optimism and casual attitude in the face of adversity, along with her unmatchable pride, seemed to sharply contrast with what a person should be feeling in this situation.

* * *

The Hume, compared to Shantotto, had a much more realistic take on the situation. As he leaned on one of the marble formations coming out of the shallow water, he crossed his arms and lightly dipped his head.

A battle encompassing chosen warriors from fourteen different worlds? Hard to believe he was being involved in something like this.

Was it really so unexpected? In his time in Vana'diel, the conflicts and incidents he was involved with always seemed to be on an increasing scale, he had fought so much, perhaps this was just the next level for him to fight on.

* * *

Seymour smirked at the sight, a battle between the greatest of the worlds warriors, and he was a part of it. More importantly, this allowed him a link to the other worlds, allowing him to perhaps save all of existence from its misery.

Death was the only release from life, the only salvation that existence could enjoy. He would bring this salvation to them. Weather they liked it or not.

* * *

Jecht could only roll his eyes at the sight of the other Warriors of Shinryu. It was a struggle to keep himself from laughing at the order to not mention Shinryu's existence to any of the Warriors of Cosmos.

He was going along with all this simply because he wanted to see where his little boy could get to by himself. To see how far the kid could go on his own skills, that was the only reason he was here this time.

* * *

Yuna could barely contain her emotions when she was finally reunited with Tidus, but she was overwhelmed by the reality of what she was going to take part in. A clash between the Goddess Cosmos and… something trying to "restart" the war.

From what she had gathered, ten of the Warriors of Cosmos had taken part in the last cycle, Tidus being one of them. It was strange to think that anyone might want to begin this war again, the cycle, it was like Sin, in a way.

Yet, like Sin, there must also be a way to put an end to it for good.

* * *

Tidus had a smile of enthusiasm on his face, the thought of fighting stronger enemies and proving himself proved irresistible. Even if he had made peace with his father, there was that side of him that wanted to leave his old man in the dust.

Of course, protecting Yuna took a higher priority. She was stronger then she looked, but she was still the sort who needed someone there, partially as physical support, and partially as a more casual support.

* * *

Kuja floated through the air at Divinity's Core, not a smile on his face. The prospect of his mortality was still eating away at him, the thought of no longer being in the world, that chance, that reality, slowly driving him insane.

He had only one intention in this war, to become immortal, as he had believed himself to be for most of his life. He _would_ become immortal, or he would destroy everything before it had the chance to exist without him.

* * *

Beatrix had been quick to distance herself from her "allies", seeing them to be completely morally bankrupt, with some notable exceptions. She could at least tolerate the presence of Leo and Golbez.

Her own power was beyond any of theirs… or at least, that is what she believed. How would things play out in the upcoming war, remained to be seen.

* * *

Vivi was surprised by how warm a reception many of the other Warriors of Cosmos had given him. With a few exceptions, such as from the woman with the Gunblade, many of them understood his concerns about what he had been caught in the middle of. Perhaps it was also his age they respected.

Still, no matter how welcoming they had been, he was still scared of what was about to happen. The magic in his body may have been powerful, but when the time came… would he really be able to wield it properly?

* * *

Zidane had an uncharacteristically serious face as he watched Cosmos by her throne. As Shantotto remained smug, and Tidus tried to keep everyone's spirits up, he was the cheerful one who was trying to consider Cosmos here.

He was a gentleman, of course. Looking out for the ladies was only second-nature to him, and right now, one of the most refined ladies around here seemed to be in the worst pain.

* * *

Seifer might have gotten off on the wrong foot with his new peers and colleges, but his casual demeanor was a poor personality to mesh with many of theirs. As he stood by his Sorceress, he smirked at the amateurs he found himself surrounded by.

One swift Demon Slice would be all it would take for many of them, doubtless in his own mind. In his pride as a Sorceress Knight, and his pride in his own abilities, perhaps he was underestimating a great majority of them.

* * *

Ultimecia folded her arms together, unamused by her return to the cycle. She tilted her head to look upon Shinryu above them, immortal, ageless, immune to the passage of time. The position she desired, but she had designs beyond the simple position of the dragon, and in time, she would be above Shinryu, above everything.

Her ability to plan was phenomenal thanks to her foresight from her time powers. Yet she couldn't pierce the veil that protected the future, the future was being forbidden to her, perhaps by the will of Shinryu's own power.

* * *

Zell cracked his knuckles in anticipation, though he retained a serious expression. There were rules and logic that had to be followed, even if his style of fighting seemed to contrast with that kind of thinking. He was SeeD, that title conveyed the need to be responsible in all matters, or the reputation of Balamb Garden might suffer. Regardless of the fact that most everyone here would never set foot in his and Squall's world.

He lowered his arms to his sides as he turned his gaze around. Fighting alongside heroes from other worlds seemed somehow… surreal, and one look at their outfits made it clear that they were very different from SeeDs. The prospect of fighting alongside them was somehow… exciting.

* * *

Squall stood in the distance, refusing any prolonged conversations with anyone. He had coldly shut out everyone who had tried to approach him, though he had come to understand the value of friendship, he still preferred to be alone and fight alone, unless it was impossible to do so.

He didn't understand the people with more relaxed attitudes, he never did. He stayed so far away from everyone else, few could break through his outer layers, but his core wasn't so different. The only secret his core betrayed was the scar of losing Ellone, but no one in this war would learn of that.

* * *

Kadaj could not believe that he had met Sephiroth, the one that Mother favored so much, and the first meeting had not left a positive feeling for either of them.

He wouldn't let Sephiroth's arrogant disregard for the Remnant get to him, he would prove himself superior, and Mother would accept Kadaj's devotion. It would happen, there could be no alternative outcomes, Mother would accept Kadaj with open arms, and they would rid the universe of all the fools.

Then, Sephiroth would see his inferiority.

* * *

Sephiroth smirked at the memory of Kadaj's overly defensive reaction to his words. Yet his words had been the truth, he had no reason to need a pitiful larva to assist in achieving Mother's desires. The silver-haired swordsman's smirk died away as he recalled Kadaj's declaration that he would prove himself superior.

The chances of Kadaj succeeding were nonexistent, but he might prove to do something useful before he saw that he amounted to nothing. Summoning the Masamune to his hand, he mentally began to prepare himself for what was to come.

* * *

Vincent sat on the ground by one of the marble formations emerging from the water. His hand holding a weak grip on his pistol as he pondered his past. Though helpless to change it, he must always recognize and remember it, and reflect on his past mistakes, mistakes that had allowed for the crisis that endangered the entire planet to occur.

He raised his head up, examining some of the other Warriors of Cosmos, consumed in conversations with each other, as he sat away from all of them. He sighed, most of them could still smile, they hadn't endured anything like what he had, to see the person one respected and loved most desecrated like… that.

* * *

Cloud was the sort to push people away and say he couldn't help them with their problems, but if someone was in danger, then he'd…

He sighed as he turned his eyes to Cosmos, still in pain on the ground, he made the silent wish that he could take on her pain for her. He was familiar with many types of pain, both physical and emotional, he could take it, he was sure of it. Could anything be compared with what he had gone through… what he had deluded himself into believing, and what Sephiroth had taken from him?

* * *

General Leo released an exaggerated sigh as he contemplated the people he would be fighting alongside of for the upcoming battles. Brutal, unrestrained, but having an undeniable spark of understanding, planning, and insane philosophies. It was like serving under Kefka.

His loyalty transcended everything, however. He was here, and he would fight if his emperor truly willed it, if fighting here was really going to help the Empire.

* * *

Kefka settled on the floor, his grin growing wider at the promise of more destruction, his garish outfit seemed to brim with the power of the trinity he took the power of. The power he stole granted fearsome strength beyond what his appearance suggested, which was the downfall of many that tried to stand against him.

A trademark cackle escaping him, he felt the surge of power flow out of him as he began to float up into the air. His body twitching erratically as is mind danced with the image of agony for all of existence.

* * *

Celes frowned in the knowledge of what she would have to partake in. She was willing, for the sake of protecting her world, protecting all worlds, but she hated how she didn't get to have a choice in the matter.

Only a few other Warriors of Cosmos seemed to share this concern, many of them, surprisingly, even the worry-stricken Terra, seemed happy to do Cosmos' bidding. Celes allowed her frown to dissipate as she took a slow breath in, summoning her sword to her hand, she steeled herself for what was to come.

* * *

Terra wouldn't say it out loud due to what was about to happen, but a part of her was relieved to see the other nine Cosmos Warriors. She knew that they each had to go back to their own worlds, but a part of her missed them, they were nothing like her companions from her own world, and their personalities were somehow… endearing.

Still, this was no time for reminisce or old chats, they had been brought back for an important reason. The Esper-side of her offered great power, enough to fight, and more importantly, to protect.

* * *

Gilgamesh stood proudly by himself, his weapons hidden cleverly under his robes. He smiled as he moved his fingers, as if he was trying to grasp something that wasn't there. His desire to prove himself began to overflow, for he was Gilgamesh after all, the one who had the greatest sword of all!

…or not.

* * *

Exdeath stood with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Almost motionless save for the moment of his breathing, through the slit on his helm, he gauged the new Warriors he would be forced to call "allies". He wasn't impressed.

Though, it was due to such unimpressive displays that a return to the Void was so necessary. Life was meaningless, what better release then to become part of the nothing that dwelt within the Void? Shinryu could very well guide him to the true power of the Void… then, and only then, would the cycle, would all of existence, come to its conclusion.

* * *

Lenna was unsure what to think.

She was one of the Warriors of Light in her own world, serving Cosmos, someone Bartz apparently already had a very high opinion of, shouldn't have seemed so bizarre to her. Yet the idea of directly serving a deity felt so strange to her, serving the Light wasn't really so different, and yet…

Her instinct to protect was still there, if she could fight every battle of this war, she would. If she could take everyone's burden upon her, she would accept it without a second thought.

* * *

Bartz had one of his usual grins on his face, the thought of a new adventure brought an unmatchable sense of enthusiasm to his soul. Even despite what was probably at stake, he couldn't help it, the sense of wonder for excitement overcame everything.

The only thing that could take away his smile… was the knowledge of the pain Cosmos was going through right now. Even so, that pain had to be a step above dying by Chaos incineration, right?

* * *

Zemus' deep rage burned in every corner of his soul. Being surrounded by specimens so utterly inferior to Lunarian life, the rage threatened to trigger an impulse reaction from him, but he was also possessing of a deeply intricate mind that understood long-term planning.

When his time came, there would be no place for these fools. The only sentient species existence needed, where the Lunarians, and no other.

* * *

Golbez turned his back to the other Warriors of Shinryu, pondering what was to come. Shinryu had yet to tell any of them his desires for the war, the only thing the dragon had ever told them was that they had to fight. Fight, fight, endlessly.

Wearing armor that hid his disdain for his destined task, Golbez felt his dark power coursing through him as he slowly turned himself around.

* * *

Kain was happy to do something that could redeem him for what he had done. Yet he still couldn't face Cecil, not after what he had done. He was unworthy to be in the presence of nearly every person around him, after providing the critical aid to nearly destroy his own world.

The others couldn't have possibly known about that… they were still willing to talk to him.

* * *

Cecil could, for this moment, shine with confidence. Surrounded by the allies that encouraged him to do things that he'd never do himself, find the strength inside that he'd never find if he looked in by himself. This strength was just like the strength his friends back in his own world would give him.

As he bore the armor of a dark knight, he smiled under the morbid visage, happy to be with them once more. With confidence of their bonds, he simply knew that whatever was opposing them… they would defeat.

* * *

Xande was far from impressed.

He never had much respect for those born into mortality, they were violent, barbaric, and had no understanding of long-term planning. Yet maybe they had some minimal level of potential, if aligned to his vision, and foresight…

With a smirk that betrayed no hint of that nameless fear deep within his heart, he felt the surge of Darkness coursing through him, the unnatural energy… much like his unnatural shortened life.

* * *

The Cloud of Darkness floated softly through the air, the two fanged tentacles moved with her, eyeing the others, perhaps waiting for their mistress to give the order to attack.

No such order came, she simply floated in the air, her expression seemingly locked on Shinryu. The divine dragon that had begun the war anew, there was no little doubt as to what she was thinking about, the only thing she ever thought about. Returning everything to the shadow of the Void… even Shinryu.

Though she could not… they, could not, overcome Shinryu at this moment, but, in time...

* * *

Luneth casually placed his arms behind his head and gave in to a grin. Here he was, _again_, fighting against a force of darkness. A little adventure was right up his alley, he had been a bit starved for excitement after the fight with the Cloud of Darkness.

His enthusiasm was curbed only slightly at how serious most of the others seemed to be taking this, especially the ones with the weapons he probably couldn't even _lift_.

Still, he was a Warrior of Light, if he could battle the Darkness in his own world, then this should be a cinch.

* * *

The Onion Knight had his eyes closed, carefully considering how he should proceed. He had allowed his cockiness to put Terra in a terrible situation in the last war, and he would absolutely not let that happen again.

He might not even have any meaningful contact with her in this war, but he had to take this seriously. No showing off, and no cockiness. Not when so much was at stake.

* * *

Leon stood with his dark sword in hand. With his helm over his eyes and his cape flowing in the empty wind, his thoughts wrapped in shadowy motivations. He answered only to the Emperor of Palamecia, but for how long? He had his own ambitions…

Power. Sheer power. That was Leon's sole motivation, he had demolished and murdered his way up the ladder in Palamecia, and if any of his fellow Warriors of Shinryu crossed him, the fate of many a Palamecian noble would also be theirs.

* * *

The Emperor bore an emotionless face. His mind danced with schemes and plans, complex in their making, yet subtle in execution, perhaps he would soon give birth to a conspiracy that would grant him power beyond even Shinryu.

There was little doubt. He had almost done away with Chaos in the last war, and he knew full well the strengths of the Warriors of Cosmos, as well as the Warriors of Shinryu. He knew what made them tick, and how to take advantage of them.

Yes, the only thing he was unaware of, was what Shinryu desired, but that should only be a matter of time.

* * *

Maria could scarcely believe that she had been reunited with Firion. Yet she still pined to see her biological brother again. Leon wouldn't be here, he couldn't be, he'd have been a Warrior of Cosmos, without a doubt.

The Emperor was here, however. If she couldn't find her brother, then perhaps she could at least take revenge for how, directly or not, Mateus had taken her family from her.

* * *

Firion was back in the war, and this time, he had a true purpose, to see his dream fulfilled. The world full of wild roses, free of conflict or war…

To most sane minded people, the idea must have sounded absurdly naïve, but Firion's eyes spoke otherwise. He had conviction and resolve, he would fight for the life of his dream.

* * *

Lich's eye-sockets housed a dim red glow in their deep center, before fading away to the prior blackness. A unholy putrid air escaped his forsaken mouth as the necromantic energies that surrounded him flowed by his whim.

Fascinating… to him. Other worlds to devour the energies of the earth from. Truly a wondrous opportunity. He turned his gaze down, his skull face unable to convey the amusement he felt as watching the metal he was standing on corrode by his simple presence.

* * *

Garland stood the closest to Shinryu. The one who so happily and willingly perpetrated the cycle since the beginning felt a glimmer of joy coursing through him as his large sword was gripped firmly in his hand.

A war on the scales of which the cycle had never seen before… Garland almost tingled with excitement. Almost.

* * *

The Mage of Light sighed inwardly, having no eagerness for what lay before him. Though happy to serve the Light, he had no fondness for war. Turning his gaze upward, he had to slightly push his hat up to keep it from obscuring his eyes.

He was supposed to have talked to Cosmos, which might have allowed him to be as free of doubt as the knight in blue armor, but talking to her was not an option in her current state.

For now, his only choice was to simply fight, and hope to find personal meaning.

* * *

The Warrior of Light, the seeming unofficial leader of the Warriors of Cosmos, under the goddess herself, of course. In his fighting and reasons, he was by far the most doubtless of them, fighting for Cosmos, and the Light, was seemingly his reason for living.

He was a true leader, a mediator, a listener, though not slow in dishing out criticism he offered praise where it was needed. Now, he would lead the forces of a new war.

* * *

_I shall require a new form. An avatar._

Shinryu's scaled body began to give off a glow as it was enveloped in white-colored energy. A massive orb of energy where Shinryu had once been, slowly drifting to the ground and beginning to shrink, before dissipating entirely.

The place where the orb had disappeared at was filled by the presence of a man in a white robe. This man walked a few feet forward to make the Warriors of Shinryu acknowledge him.

"…Shinryu?" Garland inquired, looking over the white robed man.

The man simply nodded. "I shall hide my existence from the Warriors of Cosmos for some time, yet I require a way to interact with them. A human body is the perfect solution." Shinryu, in human form, simply walked past Garland.

"Go to Order's Sanctuary, the first battle begins immediately."

* * *

The twenty-five Warriors of Cosmos stood, ensnared by either thoughts, or conversations with each other. Such activities came to a stop immediately, as the ground shook beneath them. Off in the distance, the water dried away, paving the way for the ground to take on a metallic appearance. Further away, none other then the Warriors of Shinryu began to approach, twenty-five opposing warriors.

They stopped at the far distance, almost lining up. Their motionlessness triggered the appearance of a twenty-sixth individual. Floating down in a white robe, the human form of Shinryu.

Shinryu landed in front of his Warriors, he motioned his right arm, from the socket to the elbow it went straight forward, and from the elbow to the wrist, it went up in the air. Both sides tensed and braced themselves. Weapons readied, magic channeling…

His face obscured in a black void under a hood, Shinryu stretched his arm completely forward, his pointer finger and index finger gave the cue to start the battle.

It was impossible to tell which side acted and which reacted, the fifty warriors, cut into two equivalent halves of twenty-five each, raced to meet each other.

Shinryu felt elated. What he desired was happening before his very eyes. The war through the eyes of the warriors… had begun.

* * *

**Now, I originally I didn't plan to have a small moment with all the Warriors, but this chapter would have likely been far too short if I didn't.**

**Please review.**


	17. First Encounter

**Hope no one navigated to this chapter expecting to see a big 25 on 25 battle being narrated. Sorry, I prefer to stay sane.**

**Anyway, we've gotten some new scans of Prishe for 012. Maybe I'm just ignorant when it comes to many things regarding XI, but it seems like Prishe looks exactly the same in her EX Burst. Hopefully I'm just missing something.**

**Speaking of Prishe, this seems like a good time to bring this up, just for the sake of saying it. Square-Enix, when it comes to XI, seems to prefer to choose characters with major plot relevance to put into 012. If I were to do that, and had not gone with my "Vana'diel Hume" concept, you'd have likely seen Zeid (which would have required Shadow Lord to be the villain) or Ayame of the Mythril Musketeers in this story. Large personal bias on option 2, I like Samurai, which is why Vana'diel Hume is one. The fact that Samurai were introduced as a player class in the same expansion that had Eald'Narche as the main villain is simply coincidence.**

**On XIV, using that formula, I'd of likely chosen Yda or Y'shtola.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Two beady golden eyes slowly slid open, revealing to their owner the signs of the battle that had just taken place. The scars ran deep through the ground beneath the water, residual traces of spells lingered in the air, and splintered pieces of metal floated in the shallow water.

Vivi slowly sat up, readjusting his hat as he scanned the horizon, nobody seemed to be nearby, friend or foe. Somehow he had gotten separated from all the others during the fighting.

With nowhere else to obviously go, he stood up, beginning to dust himself off. There wasn't anything he could do about the parts of his clothes that had gotten soaked by the shallow water when he was unconscious.

He walked off, a slight bit of nervousness building up in him about the chance of running into an enemy by himself, but he had nowhere else to go either. He brought his hand out, rotating it to look at his open palm, he summoned a fire spell, allowing the flames to dance across his hand for a moment, before clenching his hand into a fist, dispersing the flames.

Not so good at casting his spells when in the face of an enemy. His crippling lack of self-belief would stop him. He knew he had to get stronger then this, he couldn't stay like this.

The sound of footsteps was heard right in front of him, he looked up, only seeing the silhouette of whoever was approaching him. The outline was enough for him to recognize the shape of Cloud Strife.

Feeling releived at the sight of an ally, Vivi broke into a run, but almost instantly skidded to a halt when he got close enough to see the color on Cloud. It was… all wrong.

Cloud's body looked like it was made out of crystal. His eyes glowed unnaturally, and the expression of his face was empty, yet somehow simultaneously murderous. Cloud, or whatever this being was, walked forward, taking its Buster Sword off its back, mimicking Cloud's battle position.

Vivi stumbled back, trying to summon a Fire spell, but before he could, a sound, like the sound of a gunshot, pierced through the air. The crystal-like Cloud paused at the sound, it turned its head only for a small blue orb to impact on its back.

The false Cloud shattered like glass, splintering apart, leaving only two people behind. The first was Vivi, the second was the one who unleashed the blue orb.

Zulvan walked forward, his left arm still stretched out, pointing the gun on the arm at Vivi.

"It has been determined that the Manikins have no place in the current war." Zulvan stopped his movements. "And if you fall here, neither do you." He stopped his movements, moving his body to an angle that allowed his arm to stretch out just slightly farther. A new orb was shot out, heading straight for Vivi, he flinched and raised his arms in a feeble defense as he shut his eyes.

He could only wait for the blast to hit him… but it didn't. He heard it strike something, something right in front of him, but not him. Vivi lowered his arms and opened his eyes, right in front of him was…

Was…

The red-garbed Mage of Light stood firm, even though Zulvan's attack had hit him in the chest. The Mage, with a stern expression, calmly summoned his rapier to his hand, with a surge of magic surrounding him, waiting for his command.

Zulvan lowered his left arm, a faint feeling of surprise that the Mage had interfered, but not an ounce of worry struck him. Instead he simply grabbed his Gunblade off his back, making a slow advance on the Mage.

"Why save someone so lacking in courage?" Zulvan inquired.

"What he lacks isn't the point." The Mage of Light responded, summoning a shard of Blizzard in his free left hand. "He's a comrade. I will not tolerate anyone attacking them like this."

"…without a second thought, you risk yourself for those you barely know." Zulvan shook his head in disregard for such thinking.

"The time for words is over, as you know."

Zulvan pointed his Gunblade directly forward. "The stench of shadows can never be dispersed." Zulvan pointed his Gunblade forward and pulled the trigger of his weapon, firing a single bullet at the Mage, who deftly blocked it on the blade of his rapier. The Mage charged forward, but Zulvan responded by bringing his left arm out and firing a single blue blast.

The Mage of Light coated himself with a Shell spell, unable to outright dodge any attack with Vivi still behind him. Zulvan's attack connected with his chest, yet the Mage barely felt it, continuing his charge.

A duo of blasts were ejected from Zulvan's left arm, but rather then rely on his Shell spell, he brought his rapier forward and simply cut through both with a full 360 degree spin slash.

Losing little stride, the Mage completely closed the distance between himself and Zulvan. Retracting his left arm, Zulvan brought his Gunblade to the forefront, meeting the first strike from the Mage's rapier.

The blades unrelentingly pushing on each other, until Zulvan suddenly relented, pulling his sword back to make an attempt to stab into the Mage's gut. Yet before the blade could strike the fabric and flesh, the Mage's hand grabbed the wrist of Zulvan's sword arm and directed it to the side.

In retaliation, Zulvan placed his left arm into the Mage's face, unleashing another projectile at point-blank range. The blast ignited on the Mage of Light's face, forcing him back a step.

With the Mage temporarily distracted, Zulvan turned his attention back to the black mage. He pointed his Gunblade at Vivi and pulled the trigger repeatedly, unleashing a storm of bullets.

Vivi ran to the left to dodge the bullets, Zulvan desisted, only to bring his left arm to the front, firing globes of energy at the young mage. He was caught off-guard when the recovered Mage of Light slashed across Zulvan's back with the rapier, yet not a sound came from the Legatus as he turned around to retaliate at the Mage.

* * *

"…"

A sudden chill crept through Vivi, along with an undeniable feeling that someone besides him was watching the fight. He turned his gaze to the left, and then the right, but saw nothing. He turned his gaze upward and saw… a robed figure.

It was the same white-robed individual that had signaled for the enemy to begin their attack. He was simply floating up in the air, quietly watching the fight, and then he turned his gaze to Vivi.

_Fear not, spawn of the Genome mage._

_In time, you will no longer fear battle._

_You shall have a place in the war that ends all wars._

These words resonated in Vivi's mind, yet they were not his thoughts.

The white robed man observed the manufactured black mage for a moment before vanishing in a wisp of smoke.

Vivi just stared at the spot the man had been at for a moment, until the sound of metal clashing against each other shocked him back to his senses. Lowering his gaze back to the battle, little had changed. Though the Mage had a just slight advantage.

Vivi paused, turning his gaze even lower to his hands, he stretched his fingers out, summoning sparks of fire to his palms. With a hard gulp he turned to where Zulvan and the Mage were battling, he pointed his arms forward, and unleashed a blast of Fire.

Zulvan remained oblivious to the fireball that was rapidly approaching him from behind, until he felt an abnormal increase in heat. He turned his head just in time to reflexively jump back, skidding backwards on his feet, he turned his attention to the black mage, only to suddenly feel a strange drop in temperature.

The Mage of Light summoned a spell of Blizzara, and unleashed a storm of icicles at Zulvan. With rapid slashes of his Gunblade, Zulvan deflected the shards and negated the attack.

The Legatus turned his gaze first to the Mage of Light, and then to Vivi, he gripped his Gunblade firmer in his hand, exclusively focusing his attention on the Mage of Light.

The battle was about to continue, until an arrow whizzed past the Mage of Light and was deflected by Zulvan's Gunblade.

Maria and Firion ran up to the right and left of the Mage of Light.

"I thought the first fight was over… why is he still here?" Maria placed another arrow onto the string of her bow and pulled back.

"Doesn't matter, we can just stop him here." Firion fell into his hunched battle position, ready to pull any of his weapons out at a moment's notice.

Zulvan braced himself, ready to deflect another arrow with ease or swiftly respond to an attack from the other three Warriors, but-

"That will be enough, Zulvan." An unfamiliar voice spoke up. All attention on Zulvan vanished from the minds of the four present Cosmos Warriors as they instead focused on another darkly armored figure.

Zulvan paused for a moment, hesitant to show his back to his enemies, then turned around to recognize his fellow Shinryu Warrior.

"Dark Knight."

"Orders from our superior…" Leon responded, "All forces are to pull back, and convene at our base."

_Our superior?_ Zulvan pondered for just a moment, _He is speaking of… _without a moment of hesitation, Zulvan jumped through the air, landing with balance right beside Leon.

"I shall leave ahead of you." Zulvan walked away from Leon.

"Stop!" Firion ran several paces forward. "We won't just let you leave like that."

"This is not the day to settle the war." Zulvan snapped back around, holding his left arm out. "Perhaps we shall meet again." Zulvan walked away backwards, then slowly turned around, disappearing from view.

"Um… Firion?" Maria moved up to Firion and grabbed him by his shoulder. "The Dark Knight, he's… staring directly at the two of us."

Firion turned his gaze briefly to his sister, then back at the Dark Knight. Whoever the man was, he didn't seem to have any interest in the Mage of Light or Vivi, an all devouring stare with a murderous feeling was fixated on Firion and Maria, until the Dark Knight broke it off, turning around to follow Zulvan.

"Right…" Firion paused, not recognizing the Dark Knight at all. He simply turned to the Mage. "We're supposed to be heading back, all of our enemies are withdrawing, the Warrior of Light wants us to regroup."

The Mage of Light nodded, allowing his weapon to disperse. He turned to Vivi, who began to walk up to him. "Let's go."

* * *

**Please review.**


	18. Escalation

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

She had tried to prevent more Warriors from coming, from being forced to take part in this horrible conflict. For every time she tried to resist, 'The Wyrm' would afflict her with nameless incomprehensible pain until her will to resist eroded… just enough for 'The Wyrm' to get what he wanted.

With Warriors enough to soothe the desires of 'The Wyrm' now present, his attack on Cosmos ended, and the endless pain that had wracked her body had subsided. She could now sit pleasantly on her throne, as her eyes flittered left and right to her various Warriors.

"Well now, what do we have here?" Zidane moved beside the Miqo'te, who let out an exasperated sigh at the Genome's approach. "Maybe a pretty girl would like-"

The Miqo'te grabbed Zidane's hand as it began to approach her. Not a sign of acceptance or agreement, but just to keep it from getting any closer to her. "Sorry, I prefer shy men." With her other hand she pushed two fingers into Zidane's temple as she let go of his hand, stumbling back a step, Zidane frowned as the Miqo'te turned around and walked off.

* * *

"Hey." Luneth came up to the Hume. "Would you mind explaining what's the matter with those two?" He pointed in the distance, his finger in the direction of Kain and Vincent, speaking in silent conversation with each other. "They don't seem to ever smile."

The Hume traced a finger across his shoulder armor. "Luneth, some of us have lived lives that don't give us a lot worth smiling about."

"But… shouldn't they be happy to be alive?" Luneth tilted his head.

"It's not quite that simple." The Hume sighed, "There are some things in life that scar you in ways that you'll never recover." He raised a hand to his chin, only one small stroke before he brought it back down. Perhaps remembering something about his life that could be compared to that explanation. "The pain may lessen over time, sometimes enough that you can remember how to smile, but some things crush the heart too completely."

Looking at the two in the distance, the Hume could sense dormant scars deep within them, but he wouldn't dare ask them what it was.

* * *

"Well well, do we have here another mage? If you think you can rival me, you'll see firsthand my rage."

Vivi turned his head to Shantotto as she approached him. Among the first things he noticed was that they were about the same size, Vivi was taller only if his hat was counted.

"C-can I help you?"

"Help…?" Shantotto tilted her head, then quickly responding with her characteristic laugh. "The only thing I'd ever need from you is using you as a shield… because someone like me simply shouldn't take the front field."

"A shield…?" Vivi paused and bowed his head, after a moment it bolted upright. "Hey! Y-you can't do that to me!"

"Oh, well of course not." Shantotto smugly placed her hands on her hips, trotting past Vivi. "I wouldn't be much of a Cosmos Warrior if I just left you to rot."

Vivi paused again as the Tarutaru seemed to forget he was there, heading off to harass Zell.

_I don't think I like her._

* * *

Cosmos sat on her throne, allowing herself a small smile on the inside at how casual and friendly the majority of them had quickly grown with each other. Though a few were striking off roughly, mostly those new to the conflict, but she sensed no true hostility.

Just then, she sensed a sudden spike of anger. She turned her head in the direction of the Warriors in question, seeing the Warrior of Light in an argument with two of the newest Warriors.

* * *

A frown formed on the face of the Warrior of Light as he conversed with Princess Ashe and Lightning. He couldn't fathom why these two would be at odds with the idea of serving Cosmos.

"I am no false saint." Ashe defiantly placed her arms over her chest at the Warrior of Light. "I've seen gods, and I know what they think is an acceptable course of action."

"You've yet to even speak to Cosmos." The Warrior countered, turning his head to where Cosmos sat on her throne, then back to the two women in front of him. "I don't know what sort of gods you've encountered, but Cosmos would never simply use you without respect for who you are."

"That'll be the day." Lightning commented before turning around, "I've fought creatures approaching being deities, and I'll tell you, they only want their ambitions fulfilled, and the people don't matter."

The Warrior felt frustration beginning to bubble deep inside him, but not enough to yet impact his actions, words, or even tone. "Yet she opposes the Archadian Emperor and that man you called a Fal'cie." He remained calm, "Why reject a potential ally?"

Lightning's face curled in semi-disgust. "How wonder how many of our worlds she'd be willing to let die to defeat our enemy?"

"She's a Goddess who cares." He placed his right arm behind his back, a gesture to prevent himself from summoning his sword. His aggravation at their cold disregard of Cosmos' ideals was starting to grate on his nerves.

Though not exactly a zealot, such vocal attacks on Cosmos' character he refused to take lightly.

"Only about herself." Lightning responded, refusing to sit back and simply be used like the Fal'cie had used her. "I can handle myself against them, I don't need a Goddess to tell me how to do it."

Lightning turned around, though she didn't storm off, the movement was a clear message. The conversation was over as far as Lightning was concerned.

"Can you really view Cosmos as a kind deity?" Ashe relented a moment, not letting go of her defiance, but willing to listen to the Light Warrior.

"I trust her with my entire being." He turned back to the Goddess who had been in such horrible pain just a few hours ago. "In the last war she was willing to sacrifice herself so we could defeat Chaos."

"And she did…" Squall interjected as he walked up to the two. "She died when Chaos trapped her in an eruption, but she came back to life, somehow."

"Perhaps it is because of her divine nature."

"No." Squall denied Ashe's reasoning. "When we were first summoned, before you, Ashe, she said that someone was trying to restart the war."

The Warrior of Light closed his eyes, reflecting back to Cosmos' words when the first ten initially appeared. "We still don't know who is trying to begin the war all over, but I'll see to it that Cosmos won't have to sacrifice herself this time."

* * *

Seymour stood quietly at the edge of Divinity's Core. He closed his eyes, reflecting on the war that has begun. The final step of a cycle before the end game… but perhaps, not in the way that even Shinryu would anticipate, should Seymour have his way.

He turned back, a throne had been carved out at the base of the dark crystal, Shinryu, in his avatar form, sat on the unnatural black crystal. Shinryu's head was bowed down and his body made nary the slightest twitch of motion, merely sitting there, seemingly contemplating something. A surge of incomprehensible power from his form could simply felt drifting through the air.

He slowly lifted his head up, bringing his arms forward, he coursed a deep energy through them. A divine mist began to seep off of his robe as an orb of energy materialized between his two hands. Shinryu placed the fingers of his right hand onto the featureless marine blue orb, as his fingers moved across it, electricity began to circulate around the orb. Shinryu pushed with his fingers, the fingers oozed into the sphere of energy, eventually his entire gloved hand closed around the orb's nucleus.

The orb destabilized as Shinryu lifted it up above his head. The sphere began to become translucent as the energies inside it began to warp and condense… and then snap.

The orb self-destructed, sending a ripple of energy through the air, soaring right over the heads of Shinryu's Warriors, and even then it threatened to rip them up from where they stood.

As the ripple died away Shinryu brought his hand back down, he examined the fingers, traces of the energy still lingering on them.

He turned his attention to the Warriors of Shinryu.

_Go. The war is only beginning. Fight with fever and bloodlust. Clash, and through battle, restore…_

Shinryu gestured toward the scattered packs of slivers in the air above them, the remains of the very objects Shinryu had used to summon the Warriors.

_Restore… the crystals._

**Please review**

**Oh, and don't worry, this won't be an effective repeat of Dissidia's plot with more characters. Don't freak out about Shinryu's crystals. I had a general outline for the whole plot before I even wrote the prologue, it'll get quite interesting.**


	19. Groups

**Here we go. Most of these earlier chapters have been somewhat Writer's Block inducing, but after this chapter the writing should be easier to manage.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Cosmos cupped her hands together in her lap, a light brimming into existence in her palms. She closed her eyes and sighed as the stoic fragment of Light danced in her hands. With a single slight movement of her thumb, the equilibrium of her hand position was disturbed, and the Light dispersed.

She sighed again, with almost ritual repetition. Though there was no denying that her heart was… happy, to see the ten again, along with Shantotto, the hope of being free from the cycle had been crushed. All she could believe in, was that this abnormal element of the cycle, would occur only once.

Slowly, she stood up from her throne A look of misery masked in a face of peace, she walked out onto the shallow water, where her Warriors were standing.

"Cosmos…" The Warrior of Light was the first to acknowledge her approaching presence. His tone of voice was respectful, as he always was to her. She reached out a hand and placed it on his shoulder, the soft grip lingered as she walked past him, eventually pulling itself from his shoulder. She moved to the center of the Warriors, dipping her eyelids closed to take a deep breath.

She could feel animosity… it was only natural that some of the new Warriors would not yet trust her, yet even among the new, perhaps even the majority of the new… were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Her body began to rise into the air, but the position of her body seemed frozen, her voice began to come, but not through her mouth.

_Warriors…_

Her voice resonated in their minds. A calming effect.

_Those who would serve the entity that has restarted the war are on the move. You must face them._

The entity was, of course, 'The Wyrm', Shinryu. The one that continued to restart the cycle, to revive the Gods over and over again. Yet through it all, Cosmos had never even laid eyes on the creature, seen the dragon with its holy scales. Neither had Chaos, when he was still here.

_Forgive me. I wish you didn't have to fight anymore, but…_

The Warrior of Light bowed his head as his ears registered the hidden trace of regret in her voice. The Goddess had hope for a new life free from the cycle, but when it restarted, the hope had been buried in reawakened misery. It was still there, but it had been tossed into a pit dug so deep…

_This war will be battle unlike anything you've ever faced before, I can only hope you have the strength to survive what is to come._

Cloud's eyes shadowed in doubt. He raised a hand over his back to feel the hilt of his Buster Sword, trying to picture something worse then the fight against Sephiroth in his world, and something worse then fighting Chaos in the last war. It was unfathomable what he might be getting into… but, he would be here.

_I don't know what lies ahead, but you must face it. If our enemies should win, then…_

The simple thought of their enemies winning sent a nameless fear, and a cold chill, through Terra's body. Her magical powers shivered through her body, reacting to her emotional capacity, but they remained under her control. She had become much better at controlling her powers in her time away from her old friends from the last war.

_Now go. Leave me, the enemy waits elsewhere._

Cosmos floated back to her throne, a remorseful expression on her ethereal face.

_Yet, I will remain with you. If any should lose their way, should fall prey to the seeds of despair that your foes will plant and harvest, I will come and help._

_Now… go._

* * *

The Warrior of Light paced atop the Chaos Shrine, looking at the vortex above him. To his left was Cecil, another being who served the Light, and his right was home to Vincent, not much of a talker, but a stoic and willing ally.

In the last war, he had stood alone as the others fought with their comrades, but the war was bigger this time, and he may have needed someone to watch his back.

Summoning the Light to his being, his sword and shield appeared in hand. Taking note, Cecil and Vincent came up behind him, the Warrior turned his head to recognize his two allies from the corner of his eye. With no doubt or hesitation in his beliefs, the Warrior of Light brought his head back to the forefront.

"Let's move."

* * *

Terra was sitting down at the Crystal Tower, her hands resting on her knees as she tried to consider all that was about to happen.

A war… and everything that comes with it. She closed her eyes, her mind painting a vivid picture of her friends and allies in pain, and she herself helpless to help them in anyway. Perhaps a reflection of her greatest fear, or a product of the dread that was building inside her.

She opened her eyes, casting her gaze to the Warriors of Cosmos she was with. The Vana'diel Hume, with arms crossed, was leaning on one of the pillars at the wall. With eyes closed he seemed remarkably stoic in his current position, a seeming disinterest in speaking to the others that were with him.

Luneth and the Onion Knight were lost in a conversation with each other, and though Terra couldn't make out their words, it seemed like a generally pleasant conversation, no uncomfortable shifts in tone of voice. Luneth casually folded his hands behind his head as the Onion Knight responded to something Luneth had just said, Terra allowed herself a small smile at the sight of the two getting along.

Elsewhere in the room, Vivi and the Mage of Light were also conversing. The Mage was sitting down with a fire burning in his hands, the red light emanating from his palm. Vivi also summoned fire, but it lacked the intensity of the Mage's, even from a distance, Terra could detect a bit of disappointment from Vivi. Even then, Terra had to continue smiling at the discussion between a senior mage and a younger one.

After a moment of pause, reflecting on how well they were getting along with each other, she slowly stood up.

These good times wouldn't last forever, perhaps they wouldn't even last another few hours. This was a war, of course, she had to always… keep that in mind.

* * *

_Why… of all the people I could have to travel with…_

The Eorzera Miqo'te sighed as she took notice of one particular Warrior of Cosmos in front of her, here at the Interdemensional Rift.

_Why… did it have to be… Zidane?_

Of course Zidane would be here. Along with Bartz, who, at the very least, wasn't as intolerable. Completing the group were the princesses, both Lenna and Ashe. Those two could get along quite well with each other.

_Must be something about being a princess._

The Miqo'te crossed her arms and turned her back to her allies, if only for the sake of being able to think of herself for a moment.

Though she found the other Warriors to be pleasant friends, she still wished she had her two old friends back in Eorzera. She had been with them since… forever.

* * *

Zell sighed and scratched the back of his head at the people he was now traveling with. Here in the Crystal World, Zell had his own group. An alleged veteran of the last war, Tidus seemed to disregard most authority, including Zell's.

Well, "disregard" might have been too strong a word, but Tidus was always going along with whatever he thought made sense, and trying to laugh his way out when someone with authority questioned his way of handling something.

There was Maria, who seemed very respectful of rules, yet there was that tiny bit of aggressive forceful attitude in her. The mere mention of Palamecia, and she became very disrespectful of the SeeD's authority, even though the Warrior of Light had given leadership of the little group to Zell.

Then Shantotto… the little black mage was just in her own little world. Strutting about in her own self-worship… even if she was responsible and loyal, something about her was simply insufferable.

Zell sighed, then turned around, clenching his fists. At the very least, they were all good fighters, and a war was the kind of place that needed a SeeD.

* * *

Cloud's mind filled with doubt at the prospect of another war.

Another.

Still more fighting… it seemed to only feed Cloud's feeling of despair and helplessness. Even as he forced his way through the misery, through all the pain, something in him… wasn't quite ready to quit. Yet, without a reason to continue fighting…

He wondered if his allies had their reasons.

At Dream's End, there was both Kain and Celes, both of them had a long standing tendency to simply stare off into the distance, seemingly reflecting on something. More so with Kain, who always put himself a few steps away from everyone else, insisting that the others should not bother with his welfare. Celes, on the other hand, seemed to be thinking of someone her calling had separated her from, she possessed so little interest in the actual war.

Firion was always serious, and though taken to brooding when discouraged, as Cloud recalled from the previous war. Yet he was also one to fight in the optimistic belief of a better future, free of war and bitter struggles.

Yuna, was the only member of this group that could ever be considered "cheerful" in any context. Though a seemingly quiet girl, there was a rambunctious side that looked like it was looking for an opportunity to break out and travel all over.

Cloud raised his hand over his shoulder and lifted his Buster Sword over his shoulder, looking as if he was ready to fight. He paused, turning his gaze briefly to his allies and friends before turning to the horizon.

* * *

Squall stood motionless at Pandemonium. His eyes closed and his gun blade in hand, he heard soft footsteps, coming from Lightning, the two wielders of different styles of Gunblades were traveling together, but it would have been a lie to say that they got along.

Lightning walked up beside Squall, the SeeD opened his eyes and turned to her, an uneasy tension grew between the two who were comfortable traveling and fighting on their own.

The eye-contact was broken as Lightning walked away, she crossed her arms in frustration at Squall's stoic demeanor, in turn he dismissed her self-righteous attitude, and her cold attitude toward Cosmos' will.

"Follow me." Though neither was formally considered the leader, Lightning gave an order to Squall, who, for the time, went with the command. Allowing his Gunblade to disperse for the moment, he began to follow her, even as a aggravation with the woman began to build within his head.

The feeling was, of course, mutual.

* * *

**So now the Warriors of Cosmos are seperated into six, count 'em, six groups.**

**...and just for the record, the two friends/companions of the Eorzera Miqo'te are also complete OCs.**

**And yes, expect Squall and Lightning to really, _really_, not get along with each other.**

**Please review.**


	20. Hateful Gaze

**Well, we now know the third outfits for Prishe and Gilgamesh. Was... not expecting Prishe's 3rd outfit.**

**Just happy one of Gilgamesh's alts is his VIII appearance. Don't really care for his XII look.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"Where do we begin?" Cecil tilted his head. "The only thing we know is that our enemies are out there."

"…and they've abandoned the Manikin army." The Warrior of Light noted. "It's hard to predict what they're planning."

A silence hung in the air after that observation. The Manikins that they had relied almost exclusively on were now gone, according to the Mage, one of the enemy had gone so far as to destroy a Manikin and state that there was "no need" of them.

"Let us not dwell on the possibilities. We shall meet our adversaries as they come." The Warrior nodded to his own statement, then signaled Cecil and Vincent to follow him. "We will fight to make this the last cycle, that is all we need to push ourselves forward."

_Such conviction he has._ Vincent mentally noted. Quiet, almost mute, he seemed more a presence then a person amongst the three. As the three prepared to leave the Chaos Shrine, Vincent paused to raise his gaze to the vortex above them.

_Go out and fight? If only things could play out so simply…_

Vincent returned to following his two companions. His hand moving to his pistol as they prepared to exit the Shrine.

_Simply find them and attack them… and how does that reform the crystals?_ Eald'Narche pondered as he crossed his arms. Vincent and his two allies were slowly increasing the distance between themselves and the Zilart Prince.

"Do we attack them now?" General Leo inquired, "We have the order to do so."

"We don't need to be so fast." Eald'Narche smiled, "Better to not soil our hands so quickly."

Leo looked at the Warriors of Cosmos from behind, his hand gripping his sword. He closed his eyes in a quasi-meditative motion, a sigh escaped him as Eald'Narche dismissed the order that he had been specifically given.

"Let us just watch for now, I have a…" Eald'Narche paused for a moment, selecting his next words carefully. "…theory, on how the crystals are reformed."

"A theory?"

"Yes, Leo, and I imagine some of the others have already formed similar ideas."

* * *

"So you think Cosmos can be trusted?" Ashe raised an eyebrow at Lenna's self-assured and confident take on their situation as the Goddess' Warriors.

"Bartz trusts her." Lenna answered, her tone suggested that it was all the reason the princess of Tycoon needed. "He may seem a bit… out there, at times, but Bartz's judgment of character is above reproach from all I've seen from him."

A hand went up to Ashe's face to stroke her chin in deep thought. The expression on her face told Lenna that this answer hadn't satisfied Ashe, but it was the best answer Lenna could give. Ashe didn't seem to want to ask someone who had served Cosmos before, undoubtedly she'd ask the Miqo'te the same question later.

"It must feel strange to be expected to fight for a deity like this," Lenna said after a minute of silence between the two, "…but Bartz trusts her, that will be enough for me."

"I was nearly manipulated by gods into doing something… that would have been difficult to forgive." Ashe responded, "Cosmos has not yet given me any reason to doubt her, but I must remain wary."

The group wasn't moving anywhere at the moment, they were nearing the end of a rest after far too much time spent in uneventful walking.

"So, we simply go out and fight our enemies?" Bartz raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "Hey, after the last war, nothing they do can surprise me."

"Oh, then tell me, what _can_ they do?" The Miqo'te knew absolutely no one in this war, let alone anyone from the other side. Not even Zulvan, who came from Eorzera, just like her.

"Uh…" Bartz hadn't expected to be asked something in relation to his statement. "Well, Garland's very strong, and his sword is even bigger then Cloud's, Mateus is-"

The Miqo'te regretted asking the question. Lightly shutting her eyes as the words passed through her ears, Bartz made a completely brief and unhelpful description of ten of their enemies.

"Sephiroth has a long sword and knows how to use it?" The Miqo'te repeated after Bartz, "That's such a helpful bit of knowledge." Bartz shifted awkwardly on his feet at the sound of deep sarcasm from the Miqo'te.

"How about we just continue on?" Zidane interjected into the conversation. Though loathe to agree with him, the Miqo'te broke off from the discussion and walked off. She stretched a hand out in front of her, and in a flash of light her axe appeared.

"No matter the enemy, I can handle myself." She smirked at how she seemed to be the odd one out among the Warriors of Cosmos, regarding her use of an axe. Though Firion had one as well, it didn't seem to be his natural choice. She swung the axe down, allowing the heavy weapon to sway just an inch off the land she was standing on. "I hope I won't be having to save you over and over again."

"Hey." Bartz took exception to the comment. "I'm more capable then you think." Bartz swung his arms through the air, unleashing bursts of light, for a second he was holding Lightning's weapon, then Cecil's, and finally the Miqo'te's. "Thanks to everyone else, I'm more then strong enough to be fighting here."

"I wonder…" The Miqo'te didn't seem entirely convinced, but seemed content to leave it at that.

* * *

"…" Zemus floated above the five Warriors, at the top of the castle at the Interdemensional Rift. Eyeing them with a look of disgust, an emotion generated purely by their non-Lunarian heritage.

He brought a hand out of his cloak, charging it with a spell, he never broke his gaze from the Warriors, even as an emotion that felt vaguely like amusement began to fester in his soul.

A feeling only _vaguely_ like amusement. All emotions besides anger and bitterness were buried too deeply in his heart for them to ever surface. The thought of the Warriors beneath him lying broken, though a soothing thought, could not break, could not even disturb, the maddening hatred that drove him in all that he did.

He pointed his hand down, placing his finger-tip in a way that aimed directly at the two princesses. A surge of electricity began to wrap around his hand, loudly. Perhaps enough to alert the Warriors to his presence, but the fear of being discovered was never a concern to him, he simply continued to charge the energy, waiting for that optimal moment to release.

"Wait." Lenna removed herself from her conversation to Ashe. Her eyes darted around in search of something. "Do you… hear something?"

Ashe paused, and after a moment she did hear something in her hears. The sound of… crackling electricity? The Dalmascan princess turned her head in the direction that the sound was coming from, straight up.

"Ah!" Ashe pointed straight up as Zemus caught her eye. "Move!"

With the sense of urgency heard in the command, Lenna did not bother to check what Ashe had just seen. Instead opting to immediately jump to the left. An ultimately wise decision, as a blast of electricity connected with the ground Lenna had been standing at a moment before.

"It would seem that inferior races can dodge a simple Thundara spell." Zemus began to float to the ground.

As he descended, he turned his head, witnessing the other three Warriors beginning a mad scramble to the aid of the princesses.

"Ah, but calling you a "race" is far too kind a word." Zemus reached a position relatively level to the five Warriors, but across from them. "You are base animals, and animals do not have the right to populate worlds fit for Lunarian settlement."

"And you two…" Zemus turned his gaze to the two Warriors who weren't humans at all. Zidane and the Miqo'te. "An artificial life-form and a repulsive feline… you're the most pathetic beings before me."

Zidane gave a smirk at the arrogance of the Lunarian, and summoned his twin daggers. A twirl of the left dagger and a steady grip on the right, Zidane sunk into a battle stance.

"Humph." Zemus scoffed as each Warrior summoned their weapon and readied for a battle. "Outnumbered… but you're a fool if you think animals such as yourself could force me to even have to _try_." Bringing his arms out, summoning an abnormally powerful surge of energy through them, he drilled his hate-filled eyes on his enemies.

* * *

**Please review.**


	21. Lunarian Wrath

**An interesting 012 update this time. Seems that Desperado Chaos is going to be a playable character, crawling on all fours like a beast.**

**...or should I say "all sixs"? Ha-ha!**

**Desperado Chaos has his own theme, called "Cantata Mortis & God of Fire". After listening to it, I'd consider it a step up from the last game's "Chaos" theme.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"Inferior race." Zemus summoned Blizzard magic into his palms, "Crawl on the ground." The Blizzard magic blasted out from the Lunarians hands, blanketing his vision with a wall of icicles.

The icicles floated in the air for a moment, lazily spinning in random directions. After a few seconds of this, they all stopped movement for a moment, and then pointed towards the Warriors of Cosmos. Zemus stretched his right arm out, his hand balled into a first. He pointed a finger at the Warriors of Cosmos, and the icicles reacted, soaring directly at their targets, with points sharp enough to pierce bone.

"Mighty Guard!" Lenna brought her hands straight up in the air, and an ethereal white aura surrounded the Warriors. The icicles descended upon the aura, and, without exception, all shattered upon the aura.

"Good ol' Blue Magic." Bartz noted as the shards of ice settled to the ground, before being carried away on the wind.

Wearing an expression that showed no amusement, Zemus charged globes of element-less energy in his hands, and then fired two beams of energy at the shield Lenna had erected.

The energy connected, the aura surged to keep the energy outside, but it could be seen that the aura was straining, straining and weakening.

"That won't help us this time." The Miqo'te noted as she begin to move to the left, promptly followed by the others. "I suggest we attack the moment the shield breaks." They had found themselves in one of those rare awkward moments in battle where they had a brief moment to strategize the next move. These moments tended to be so brief, however, that little discussion or debate was allowed, instead it was merely a chance to take a deep breath and take note of the current situation.

Indeed, before anyone else had a chance to interject, Zemus' attack ripped through the shield created by Lenna's Mighty Guard. Immediately the counter-offensive went into action, Ashe was the first to charge forward, the Sword of Kings being the weapon in her hand, running along the side of Zemus' beam, she attempted a hard swing into the Lunarian's side.

Yet Zemus was aware of what she was doing, and with a simple twitch of his eye, he erected a Protect spell around him. The Sword of Kings collided with the Protect spell and bounced off, dragging Ashe with it. Zemus cut the flow of power to the beams, letting them shrink and freeing himself up to deal with all the present Warriors.

Immediately his eyes drifted to Lenna. Recognizing a potential complication with her magic, he erected a Shell spell to deal with the matter.

Zidane was the next one to try and attack, leaping through the air with his twin daggers, he descended on Zemus.

Rather then risk a potential failing of his Protect spell, Zemus conjured a Fira spell with a wave of his hand. The sudden emergence of fire in the air forced Zidane to abandon his aerial approach and spin out of the way, landing on the ground in a hunched position. The Genome looked up to see Ashe beginning another attack, as the other Warriors made their charge past Zidane.

Bartz was the first to reach the enemy, summoning a copy of Cloud's Buster Sword, he leapt in the air and made a massive overhead swing. Zemus reacted by summoning a surge of Thundaga, creating an electrical barrier around him. The electricity snatched Bartz right out of the air, and held him in place as the strands wracked his body with pain.

The other Warriors stopped at the barrier, until the electricity dispersed after a moment, depositing Bartz on the ground.

"Only the beginning…" Zemus murmured as Bartz began to stand up as if nothing had happened. "You are only the beginning of the numbers I shall destroy." The Lunarian gritted his teeth in disgust at his enemies, and then he felt something weak connect to his back.

Turning his neck, he saw Ashe, having just struck him with her sword. A low hiss escaped the Lunarian's mouth as he noted that the Protect spell's effect were starting to drain if he could lightly feel something touch him.

Still, an 'inferior race' managing to make him slightly feel an attack was, in his eyes, inexcusable, a veritable crime. He swiftly turned around and clamped his hand over Ashe's mouth, a second later the surge of a Thunder spell coursed through his arm and into Ashe's body.

"Stop it!" Zidane suddenly called, the Genome ran forward, his daggers were ready to slice the Lunarian for more then just permanent damage. Yet Zemus spun around and released his hold on Ashe, freeing her to fly through the air, she crashed straight into Zidane, sending them both flying back.

Zidane landed on his back, whereas Ashe came to a rest a few feet away from him. Looking up in the air, he witnessed Lenna and the Miqo'te jump over him to reach Zemus.

"Did it occur to you that running at me blindly will only invite tragedy?" Zemus pointed the four fingers of his right hand at Lenna, without another movement he unleashed a Blizzara spell on her. "Freeze to death."

The ice shards spilled out of the point of his finger, but the two females simply jumped to the side. Lenna jumped again, flying into the air, summoning a glistening silver sword to her hand, she dove for Zemus, yet the Lunarian simply took to the air, the princess' attack passing harmlessly beneath him.

He turned, preparing to unleash a Thundaga spell on Lenna, but made the mistake of ignoring the Miqo'te. The Marauder had also leapt into the air, more then high enough to strike Zemus at his constant position, and she brought her axe down.

A cry left her as she made the attack, catching enough of Zemus' attention to make him turn around. The Miqo'te passed by him, and Zemus didn't feel anything touch him. The Miqo'te landed on the ground, turning around on her heel, a smirk on her face.

Zemus was almost amused by her bravado, and was about to attack when he… felt something. In between his eyes, a strange… throbbing, dripping, he raised his hand up to feel the area of his face…

"Blood?" He looked to the liquid on his face and turned back to the Miqo'te. "You inferior life-form would _dare_ to strike my face and draw blood?"

Zemus floated back to ground level, his teeth gritted in anger, his pride pained more then his face. "I won't stand for this… I will never _allow_ this!" Zemus burned, he could feel the strength of Firaga in him, burning not even half as much as his anger. The flames danced to life on his fingers, eyes gleaming with the hate, he was about to attack, when something struck him on his back.

He turned around after the initial bounce, and witnessed one of the Genome's daggers spinning through the air. Zidane swiftly leapt into view, grabbing the dagger with his free hand, then doing a 180 degree spin, slicing across Zemus' chest, before dashing away.

Zemus moved a hand across the wound, his anger burning at the sight of the Genome, who began to circle around to reunite with Lenna and the Miqo'te. Soon enough, Bartz and Ashe joined back up with them as well.

"Filthy creatures…" the Firaga had not vanished. With a simple flex of his magical energy, Zemus summoned an inferno, a solid spike of flame erupting right underneath him, engulfing him, but not harming him. "You will regret angering me like this." The inferno slowly died down, Zemus took a deep breath, desisting from gritting his teeth, but the gleaming hatred still burning in his eyes. "Oh, how you _will_ regret it…"

* * *

"This walking is really boring." Luneth whined, "Can't we find someone to fight, or something?"

"I… I think the less we have to fight, the better." Vivi meekly commented. "Fighting isn't… something we should look forward to."

"Oh, come on." Luneth took a chance to tease the mage. "A little fighting never hurt anyone."

"Um…" the Onion Knight noted the sheer contradictory nature of that statement. "Fighting… _always_ involves people getting hurt."

"I'm just saying, all this marching is just too boring."

"…perhaps a rest is desirable?" The Mage of Light suggested. Though the expression in his face implied that he had yet to become even remotely fatigued, he was willing to stop for a moment if the others needed it.

"I wouldn't mind a rest." Terra interjected, "We've been walking for hours, my feet are starting to hurt, if I tried to run right now, I might collapse."

"I see." The Mage considered her state, then turned to the Vana'diel Hume. "And you?"

The Hume shifted his eyes to the other warriors, then back at the Mage. "I could walk for hours more, but a rest wouldn't hurt, we're in no hurry for anything."

"Then I guess it's settled." The Mage turned to the children, Vivi nodded approval, as did the Onion Knight, Luneth looked rather indifferent to walking or taking a break, seeming more bored then anything else.

* * *

They each settled in to a little spot here in this spot of the world. None other then Balamb Garden, which had the blessing of traditional chairs and benches.

Terra sank into her spot, feeling the stress began to pass out of her legs, she almost melted in the comfort of sitting down. The deep sigh of relief she offered was loud and audible.

The Mage of Light sat relatively close to her, but his focus seemed to be on a magic tome that he was reading. The expression of his face was of a jaded fascination, seemingly interested in the words he was reading, but also seeming to have read the majority of the contents before.

The book was of much greater interest to Vivi, who seemed to be developing an innate curiosity with anything magic based that the older mage was working with. He leaned over, trying to catch wind of the tome's contents, catching words here and there, but unable to come to any conclusion as to the exact content of the book.

The Onion Knight sat away from those three, seemingly more content to swish his blade slowly through the air then anything else.

Luneth reclined in a couch, giving an exaggerated, and obviously fake, yawn. That curiosity of his was acting up again, and he darted his eyes from one area to the next, looking for something to catch his interest, but found nothing in particular. He sighed, trying to lull himself to sleep.

The Vana'diel Hume simply sat on the floor. It seemed to offer comfort enough to him. He closed his eyes, perhaps reflecting on one thing or another, but never thinking too deeply. He wasn't fatigued, not at all, he would transverse much larger areas in Vana'diel during one of his jobs, he could tell that the Mage was far from feeling exerted as well, and yet he suggested the rest.

"Hey." Terra tapped the Mage of Light on the shoulder, "Can I… ask you some questions?"

"I don't see why you shouldn't."

"Thank you… uh, well, you see…" Terra searched for the words to her questions for a moment, "I never interacted with the blue knight very often, the one from you're world. You wouldn't… mind it, if I asked you about the Light, would you?"

"It would be no problem."

"Thanks." She smiled. "I've just been wondering, the Light's a universal power source, right? Why isn't it present in some wor-"

"It's not a _power source_." Came the Mage's interjection, complete with a hushed, threatening tone. Terra recoiled at the obvious anger in his voice, but after a moment the Mage took a deep breath and then shook his head.

"I'm sorry about that but…" The Mage's eyes flashed a wordless apology on top of his spoken one, "The Light is not a power source, it's not some strength you can take whenever you please, it should never be looked at as some faucet that you can turn on at anytime."

Terra took in a deep breath to calm and assure herself, "I… think I understand, that blue knight, he talks about the Light 'guiding' him."

"Indeed." The Mage nodded, "He and I, we are what you would call 'Light Warriors', we depend upon the Light to help us." He smiled and closed his eyes, but his smile died away as he remained unable to recall anything from before. "Do you have any other questions."

"Yes." Terra understood that the red cloaked mage was far from a violent person, but she could see that he was a bit touchy on a few points.

"Ask, then."

* * *

**I'd like to take a moment to clarify something about Lenna. In FFV logic, she's effectively in the Freelancer job, Blue Magic is one of her "set" abilities. So she's a blue mage and something else, the other job she has the abilities of will be revealed next chapter.**

**Please review.**


	22. Destroyers

**All righty, new chapter.**

**As I said last time, Lenna's other job will be clarified.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"Nothing will save you now." Zemus' skin almost seemed to be turning red from his spell, "You will learn the price for resisting the superior race." the Firaga begun to burn around him, circling him in rings of chaotic flame, before rising and settling in his hands. He dragged his hands back, then thrust them forward, unleashing the spell, sending a wall of molten flame straight at the Cosmos Warriors.

A gleam of amusement settled upon his eyes as the flames swept through the air, dancing lights ready to turn inferior beings into bone, dust, and ash. To his surprise, one of the Cosmos Warriors, Lenna took a dive right in front of her comrades, but it was a pointless and suicidal movement on her part, and not a move that would save her or her allies. In Zemus' mind, this fact was a certainty.

"Spellblade!" Lenna suddenly yelled while holding her sword forward. Zemus' eyes widened, half confused, half surprised, yet his reaction was not in relation to what Lenna just did, but what his spell was doing.

No skin melting from the heat, no ash, no charcoal, not even as much as burn marks. His spell, contrary to his will, was focused only on Lenna, and not only that, but she didn't seem harmed by it at all.

It took only a moment to recognize what was going on, he eyed her sword again as the magic began to absorb into it. Before long, his attack was gone, and Lenna's sword had turned blood red.

Without a moment wasted, Lenna wordlessly charged forward, followed by her allies. Zemus, unimpressed, raised both a Protect and a Shell spell and began preparation for a Sap spell to exhaust them when their offense started.

As the distance closed, a small flicker of worry creased Zemus' heart, but he ignored it as they approached. Lenna, with her head start, reached Zemus first, he went to unleash his Sap spell, but, unexpectedly, Lenna simply dodged it and, her empowered sword…

…simply broke through his Protect spell.

She slashed past him, cutting across his chest. A surprised gasp escaped him, he looked forward just in time for Ashe to connect another attack.

He teleported away in a flash of the arcane before anyone else could attack him, reappearing a few feet away.

"You…" he hissed, the magic energy around him reacting to his anger, "…have signed your death warrants."

"That will be enough, Zemus." A new voice spoke. Zemus turned his head to see a man in armor walking up to him from behind.

"So much for the strength of Lunarian superiority." The individual spoke with a condescending tone. "Zemus, you are forbidden from allowing yourself to die so soon."

"Be silent, Palamecian messenger."

The armored man, the Dark Knight, shrugged off the demand for silence. "Though you would likely win against a single Warrior, you cannot face this number."

Zemus growled at the Dark Knight, with the greatest of reluctance, he obeyed the unspoken order to return to Shinryu. With a small sweeping gesture of his arm, he slowly faded from sight.

Dark Knight, Leon, turned to face the Warriors of Cosmos. "I assume you think yourself capable of defeating me?"

"No assuming." Came Zidane's cheerful reply.

"Just knowing." Bartz finished for him.

"Such… misplaced arrogance." Leon smirked under his helm. "However, I did not come to fight you yet." He shook his head in annoyance. "You are far too weak as you are now, prove yourself capable of enduring this war, and perhaps you can become worthy of my notice."

He turned to leave, expecting nothing further from this encounter, until a sudden battle cry was heard. The Miqo'te, axe in hand, was charging at him from behind, but Leon paid no mind, simply walking away. Her speed quickly outstripped Leon's, and she attempted a swing…

Leon curled the fingers of his open right palm, and in a flash of black energy, his Dark Sword appeared in his hand. He snapped around and swung his sword, the glistening blade of Darkness immediately disarming the Miqo'te, ripping the axe clean from her hands.

Without a wasted moment, without the Miqo'te even being given a chance to widen her eyes in surprise, Leon allowed his Dark Sword to disperse, reaching his now free right hand out, he grabbed the Miqo'te by the face. Heaving his arm back, somewhat dragging the rest of his body in the process, he thrust his arm forward, releasing her in the process.

A grunt left her as she flew back through the air, landing unevenly on her back, skidding to her allies. Yet before her momentum had carried its full course, she had already rolled back onto her feet.

"Humph." Leon voiced tremendous disappointment with a single impression. "Your grip isn't strong enough to endure one strike from me. Why _he_ would think you are worthy of taking part in this conflict… I can never hope to understand."

"He?" The Miqo'te stayed in her position, keeping a close watch on the Dark Knight.

"We have been given strict orders as to not reveal… him." Leon turned back around. Before he had even taken a single step he could hear the Warriors of Cosmos advancing on him. "Do not be so eager to bear your fangs against me, Warriors of Cosmos. With a single gesture I would end your role in this war, and your lives."

Without waiting for a response, Leon walked away, eventually his body faded from sight.

* * *

"You risk much simply by alluding to Shinryu." Though his voice did not betray his feelings, Golbez's disappointment almost emanated in an aura. "Though the damage could be controlled if they simply became aware of Shinryu's identity and role, if they realize Shinryu's desire, then…"

Cutting his own sentence off, Golbez walked past the Dark Knight, leaving an unspoken, understood warning to the Dark Knight, to not mention, or even allude to, Shinryu.

Leon gritted his teeth, half turning his neck to look back at Golbez.

"I know exactly what I'm doing, half-breed."

Golbez stopped his movement as the Dark Knight alluded to his half-Lunarian heritage. His left hand made a slight twitch, specks of darkness emanating off of it, until easing back into an open and relaxed palm.

"I'm not sure if you do, I sense you would risk everything to repay a grudge." Golbez turned back around, his own darkness beginning to manifest around him at his command. "…and I doubt you would bother with the warnings or the orders of anyone besides Mateus or Shinryu."

Leon paused, snarling from under his helm, then walked away.

_So much defiance and anger in that one…_

* * *

"There's no one here." Lightning mused as she paced through the World of Darkness. The only person near her at the moment was Squall. "Aren't we supposed to be fighting the enemy? Why haven't we found anyone else yet?"

"Are you impatient?" Squall inquired. "We'll be fighting before long."

"I know that." Lightning replied, "But I'd rather get this over with."

"There is no 'get this over with', this isn't a small skirmish we're in."

"Yet there is about as much meaning to it as a skirmish." An unknown voice sounded. Lightning and Squall reflexively traced their eyes around the area, until a figure materialized before them.

"Greetings." A blue-haired figure with an elaborate robe responded with a false smile. "I am Maester Seymour… and I would offer you a chance of liberation from the inherent meaninglessness of life."

Squall bore his eyes deeply into Seymour as Revolver materialized in his hands. He said nothing, simply adopting a battle stance, as Lightning followed suit.

"Get out of my way." Lightning warned, letting her Gunblade mold into gun form and fired a trio of bullets at Seymour. The bullets approached with what should have been grim accuracy, but when just a few inches from Seymour, they suddenly diverted from their proper course, imbedding themselves in the wall behind Seymour.

"My apologies, but more then that will be required."

"Indeed it will." A new voice added, as an owl began to flutter through the air, a burst of light revealed the presence of Galenth Dysley. "Now, come, my former l'Cie." He seemingly ignored Squall entirely and focused on Lightning. "I can sense the disdain you already have for this war, come with me and I shall help you end it."

Lightning glared at the Fal'Cie, pointing her Gunblade directly at him.

"And so you remain ignorant." Though the words seemed to convey disappointment, Galenth simply smiled. "Very well, let me show you precisely what you're fighting."

* * *

**Hm. Please review.**

**As a reminder, I have a general outline of a plot lined up, but it might seem a tad... sporadic and random for a while.**


	23. Discipline

**Maybe I'm wrong on this, but it looks like Desperado Chaos is going to be called "Feral Chaos" in the West. I suppose I'm okay with that, but I wish they hadn't changed the name.**

**Feral Chaos really looks like the end result of Chaos getting consumed by lava at the end of the first game, but if there is an actual explanation for him, I'd prefer to see it in the game itself.**

**Anyway, a new chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Maria impatiently tapped her foot on the ground. Her bow tied to her back at the moment, her arrows in a quiver, as her irritability at the lack of incident began to grow. She had expected to be fighting, doing something she was good at, more importantly, she could be fighting against the Emperor, the man who robbed her of the life she once knew.

Yet here she was, and the rest of her group were engaged in conversation. Zell was being slowly driven insane by both Tidus and Shantotto, just eavesdropping on these conversations made it clear that Zell, despite having the overall appearance of a tough-guy sort of individual, was really something of a… boy-scout. The kind of guy who probably tattled on others as a kid.

Tidus was a rule bender, and Shantotto was just… _Shantotto_. Or at least that's the best way she could put it, considering the short time she had known her for. A far cry from Hilda, when it came to women with authority in their worlds.

"I'm telling you, that's not how it was." Tidus tried to justify something he had done that Zell was calling him out for. "I was just… uh…"

"You should just chill out." Shantotto interjected herself, "You'll wear yourself out when it's time for a bout."

Zell huffed in frustration, clenching his fists, before feeling his muscles relax along with his mood. "But if we can't work together, it really worsens our ability to fight, don't you think?"

Weather Maria would have or wouldn't have agreed with that was up in the air, her actual thoughts were being hidden under her impatience. She begin to tap her fingers on her left bicep as Tidus gave a slow agreement to Zell's statement, yet Shantotto just smirked at the duelist.

Finally, her patience exhausted to the last drop, she stormed over to the rest of the group to vent.

"Are. We. Going. Anywhere. Yet?" Maria spoke in nearly a growl, getting a flinch out of Tidus, but only making Shantotto raise her eyebrow.

"We _could_ be fighting the good fight, but instead you want to bicker about group cohesion?"

Maria reached out and grabbed Zell by his collar. Perhaps she was waiting for her words to sink in, but before either could make another move, a weak blast of elementless magic zapped Maria's arms back.

"I hate to do that dear, but Zell's really in the right, here." Shantotto smirked, the expression on her face almost made it seem like she was dying for some action herself. Though perhaps for the purpose of showing off more then anything else.

"But you're right that we need to start walking, and stop with the talking." Shantotto looked at all three of the taller Warriors, then smiled again.

"Let's go." Zell sighed, already seeing massive headaches with Maria in the future. She'd be the one rushing around before anyone else can react, which might not of always been the best thing. Right, Seifer had been impatient, and look what had happened to him.

The four proceeded to walk off, Maria seemingly already cooling off as they began to actually move again, perhaps someone she could exhaust her energy and frustrations on being met at some point.

No one noticed, behind them, a black smoke began to flow through the area, and an undeniably hostile presence could be felt.

_One of them feels a need to fight, and is gripped by a strong feeling of impatience._

_The most easily predicted of mortals._

The smoke rose up, enough to obscure one's vision, enough to obscure the figure that had suddenly appeared.

As the smoke began to carry itself away, there stood only Lich, beholding the four Warriors from behind. A wicked wheel turning inside his empty skull…

Shantotto, the only mage of the group, noticed something malicious in the air, and turned back to where they had stood arguing. No enemy stood there, it was devoid of any presence, except…

The ground had decayed. As if something had just… sucked… the energy right out of it. A twinge of curiosity besieged her, and a part of her wanted to examine it, she turned back to her allies, only to find that their longer legs had already moved them a somewhat astonishing distance away from her. With a sigh, she began to run to catch up, though unafraid of the archer, forcing Maria to wait again may not have the best results for Tidus and Zell, with some disappointment she forced herself to forget about the strange development in the ground.

* * *

"Great. A barricade." Luneth groaned at the sight of a clearly magical defense blocking the path of the group. His face bore an exaggerated pout for a moment, before melting into a grin. He turned to the Mage of Light, "Hey, can you blow this up?"

"…blow it up?" the Mage tilted his head, as if he wasn't familiar with such things at all.

"Sure. You know, get it out of the way."

"Would you use force on every obstacle?" The Mage inquired, the statement drawing a frown on Luneth's face. That frown only deepened when he saw Vivi and Terra come up and give silent approval to the Mage of Light's seeming disdain of using his magic on such a way.

The Vana'diel Hume seemed to prefer not to interject or take a side at all. Simply standing there, katana firmly in hand as Luneth began to defend his point of view.

"Look, you have all that magic, why don't you just blow up things that annoy you? I mean, what's the point of a spell if you don't cast it?"

"I suppose very little." The Mage answered, and for a moment, Luneth thought that he had just won the argument. The Mage of Light's next comment brought Luneth's sudden good cheer crashing back down.

"Yet it doesn't work like that, Luneth." The Mage knelt down to get himself closer to level with the silver-haired youth. Bringing his right hand up, the Mage lit a Fire spell. "Black Magic is destructive in nature, so what good is it if it's not being used for that purpose? That is your stance on the matter, correct?"

Luneth nodded.

"I suppose many would think that way… but, no." The Mage clenched his fist, dispersing the flame. "Black Magic is destruction, but that is what we try to avoid." He stood back up, "Devastation is an easy thing, destruction comes so simply, it doesn't take much time. The horrors that can be wrought in a single night can depress and discourage even the most noble and optimistic mind."

The words made Terra reflect back on the past, poisoning, burning, Kefka's rampart Esper murdering at what was supposed to be a peace treaty. Everything Kefka did had occurred in a short span of time, an hour of unbridled horror for most of them.

"Yet something worth using magic for, something that can last, like peace, or security, that is a challenge, and is what we should strive to use magic for." He turned to look at both Vivi and Terra, both also magic users. "Magical prowess necessitates responsibility and discipline, I cannot use magic at anything and everything that challenges me."

"What? Why can't you just fireball anything that is annoying you?"

"Because 'fireballing' someone who tells bad and stupid jokes doesn't get you far in life." The Mage smirked at his retort, a soft ripple of laughter echoed through the group, a certain sense of casualness could already be felt in the interaction of the group.

"Besides, one does not always need violence to solve the challenges before you." The Mage walked up to the magical defense, a wall of shimmering red energy. "Sometimes a second look reveals an easier path." The Mage held his hands up and pressed them against the red energy of the magical wall, after a moment he passed right through. "Whatever this is, it's clearly designed to stop forceful energy. Walk into it calmly, and you'll pass without incident."

The four paused, then without a word, the Vana'diel Hume walked forward, without any pause he walked through the red wall. Shortly afterwards he was followed by Terra, Luneth, and Vivi.

"Now come on. In some near hour, perhaps you'll see me really using black magic."

The group walked on, oblivious to someone standing at a higher vantage point.

"Looks like that was pointless. I didn't come here to eavesdrop on a lecture about responsibility." Kadaj held Souba in his hands, perhaps waiting for a chance to leap down and rip the Warriors of Cosmos apart, but no permission was granted by the sorcerer who was with him.

"I had hoped that they would try to force their way through my barrier first, give me the chance to gain a brief understanding of what they were capable of." With a miniscule movement of his pointer finger, Xande dispersed the red energy gate. "No matter, we shall see them in action soon… perhaps even soon enough to please you, Kadaj."

* * *

Seymour paused… then unleashed a Fira spell on his two opponents. Both Squall and Lightning rolled to opposite sides, but this had been expected, Dysley wanted some time… alone, with the female, Seymour was to occupy the male Gunblade wielder. A simple matter.

As Squall stood back up straight again, seeing where everyone was again, Seymour positioned himself appropriately, preparing to continue his attack. Squall was already charging, again, this was expected. Seymour began casting Blizzard, feeling the cool shift in the air as a large chunk of ice materialized in front of him, then sailed away, Squall simply jumped over the magical chunk of ice following a static path, losing little stride or speed.

As a precautionary measure, Seymour erected shields of both Protect and Shell as Squall almost completely closed the distance. With such a little time frame available to him, Seymour attempted a Thundaga spell, focusing out of his hands, the electricity flew swiftly from him…

…but it missed Squall.

With a grimace, Seymour could do nothing but let Squall's Gunblade painfully cut into his side. The wound administered was relatively shallow, though it would have been much worse had he not cast Protect earlier. With a sudden reflex, Seymour unleashed an elementless explosion of energy around him, sending Squall flying back.

Meanwhile, Dysley was hampering Lightning's approach with Ruin spells. It took a mere glance at Lightning's expression to realize that she regarded him as the only true threat amongst the enemy, that was valuable information, information that Dysley, along with Kuja and Ultimecia, and the other manipulators would take such methodical notice of.

A barely noticeable smirk emerged on his face as she closed the distance, but he floated into the air. Lightning let her Gunblade flow to its Gun form and fired two bullets at Dysley, the accuracy should have been pinpoint, but the bullets seemed to slam into a Protect spell. Dysley raised his staff in the air, summoning a circle of energy orbs, with another movement of his staff, these orbs of energy flew down, targeting Lightning.

Lightning back-flipped away, letting most of the orbs crash and explode into the ground. A few attempted to divert their course to continue following her, but succeeded only in crashing into the ground marginally closer to her.

"Admirable… you haven't lost anything from your l'Cie days." He taunted, with his knowledge of her core and being, the knowledge of what she liked and hated, he let the term "l'Cie" set in, awakening dormant feelings of disgust. "However, you cannot hope to fight us, not when a being on par with the Maker is guiding us."

She paused. "…and who, is this being?"

Dysley smiled, briefly taking his eyes off her to Squall and Seymour, still fighting each other. "We do not speak his name, but… it is a curious thing, that a creature of such lofty title and such absolute power would have any interest in this war. Why would this being be interested in pawns such as you."

"Because, as you know, a pawn is all that you are." He began to turn, beginning to move away.

"Stop!" Her voice indignant, "Didn't you come here to fight?"

"Why fight you? For all your frustrations, you're far from what I need." Though he did stop his movement and turn back to her, "…and you're a poor ally as well, see how Squall must face one of the Destroyers by himself because the sight of an old enemy proved capable of igniting your anger."

Lightning turned back, spell after spell Seymour unleashed, though Squall seemed to have the upper hand. Though having no fondness for the man, a kernel of shame was birthed as she saw him continue fighting. That bit of shame was quickly snuffed out as she saw Squall, with one final blow, send Seymour reeling back.

Seymour collapsed to his knees, breathing hard from the attacks that had knocked the breath out of him.

"He is stronger then the Sorceress made him out to be." As he spoke his thought, he looked forward to see Squall advancing on him again, the next blow would be lethal if it connected. _If_ it connected. Seymour teleported away, reappearing beside Dysley in the air.

"You cannot win against those who will appear before you, not by yourself." An indirect warning to find people to fight alongside, the last thing Dysley spoke before both he and Seymour vanished.

"Are you injured?" Squall asked, to which Lightning shook her head. "We need to keep going, if it's like last time, the enemy won't make isolated appearances."

"Right." All she said as she walked past Squall, "Let's just move."

* * *

**Maria, like most FFII characters, has scarily little characterization. It doesn't help that Firion was the only hero of FFII that was even remotely "chatty", so I had a lot of freedom with her. I chose to write her as a bit of a hothead sort of character.**

**I'd rather the Mage of Light's personality not just be an effective copy of the Warrior of Light's. I write MoL as having a slightly more light-hearted side to his character, like his comment about 'fireballing'.**

**I also write him as a deep thinker and this somewhat sagely figure, expect him to say a lot of things along the general line of his words to Luneth. He does have WoL's tendency to have some half-critical/half-advisory thing to say to most people.**

**Please review.**


	24. The Red Warrior

**Note, fairly long A/N.**

**Well, I now own 012.**

**Without spoiling anything, I must say that the 012 story is kinda... short. Took me two days to complete. Awesome yet somehow bittersweet ending though. Yet I can't help but feel that it seemed more like a side-story.**

**The shortness meant that some things happened a bit too quickly, the Tidus and Jecht plot point in particular.**

**Anyway, among the new characters, I'd say that Kain and Yuna are my stand-outs, but I'm enjoying Laguna as well. I've managed to unlock Prishe, but seeing as she's only level 3 right now I can't really say how good I am with her. I've decided to focus on unlocking a few character costumes before unlocking Gilgamesh. A fair number of the new alts for the veterans from the last game before Gilgamesh, at least.**

**Though Vaan is the only XII character who I could really see jumping around with all those weapons, I doubt I'll sway from my belief that Ashe or Basch would have been preferable choices.**

**I recall a seeming "placeholder" character slot in a demo led some to conclude that another XIII hero was going to be in, looks like that was not to be. I'd of liked playing as Sazh or Snow or, hell, even Hope. I'd of liked Snow in particular, that HP supply of his saved me so many times in XIII, but perhaps _another_ Monk character would have been oversaturation with Tifa and Prishe.**

**Bugs me that equipment and accessories from my old Dissidia weren't carried over, now I have 22 level 100 characters who have to equip level 1 equipment. At the very least, they retained their accessory slots, if not the accessories themselves.**

**You know, coming from the guy who thought that Tidus was pronounced 'tie-dus", and once, years ago, thought that Cecil was 'kuh-keel' (hey, I was young back then) I'm glad to find that Prishe's name is pronounced exactly as I thought it was pronounced.**

**...and really, does being smug during the tutorial truly require _that_ to come after me? I had to endure that with Lightning as well, I can't very well claim to be fighting my best unless I'm using WoL, Squall, or Gabranth.**

**Assists tend to be hard to remember to use, I mostly use them to continue hitting an enemy I just wall-smashed. I almost never do an Assist HP attack.**

**I also note that the timing of chase sequences has been changed, the timing is a lot stricter. Coming from a guy who was almost never hit in a chase sequence in the last game, I'm not sure if I should grumble about the lowered reliability of the chase sequence, or be thankful for the added challenge and unpredictability.**

**Onto the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"I thought I'd be traveling with him again." Yuna mused, her thoughts turning to Tidus. The simple image of him sent a flush of color to herself. "We were chosen for different groups, I didn't think we would-"

"Don't worry about it." A voice responded. Yuna jumped at the interruption, she turned around to Firion. "That guy in the blue armor, he knows what he's doing."

Yuna nodded, though on the inside she didn't quite buy that. "I just… had more of a connection to him then I think most others did."

"From the sounds of it, a lot of people had very… precious ones, you just happened to have yours be brought here." Firion's mind flashed to his comrades back in his world, he couldn't claim to have had such a connection to anyone he knew. "But… considering the danger we're about to face, maybe it shouldn't have been that way for you."

"Huh?" Yuna's eyes widened in a mixture of confusion and surprise. "Why would it have been better for me to be here without Tidus."

"Well, it's just…" Firion raised a hand up and rubbed at his bandanna for a moment, "You look like the sort of person who would try to shoulder all the burdens, and not force people, especially people you know on a deep personal level, to take any on yourself."

Yuna took a breath in, allowing herself to smile. "I… would prefer it if I could keep him from getting hurt, but I know I can't do that."

Kain, who was standing relatively close, felt his thoughts drift to a certain White Mage of Baron. He dissuaded it with a shake of his head, such thoughts had allowed him to fall prey to his enemies before, he would not… let that happen again. His left hand curled, then formed his spear, without even a glance at his comrades, to see how they reacted to the weapon, he walked away for the moment. A moment to himself, collect his thoughts about the reality of his situation, yes, this should help him.

"Tell me, do you trust Cosmos?" Celes inquired of Cloud, dismissing herself from any thoughts regarding Kain's sudden leaving. The blonde man turned to look at her, then nodded.

"She sacrificed herself for us in the last war, though she kept some things from us at first." His eyes flickered for a moment, seeming to recall something, before shaking his head and returning to the answer he was giving. "I trust her, she says that someone tried to restart the cycle, so we have to find that person."

Celes crossed her arms, and her eyebrow raised. "And if we find this person, what would we do?"

Cloud paused for a moment. It took only a second to realize that Celes was insinuating that they'd just kill this person, no questions asked. "We'd find out why he started the war again, then we'd decide what to do with him."

Celes tensed just slightly. She was highly doubtful that they would be sparing the person who began the war anew… providing that they ever reached him, or her.

"Hey." Firion called, catching the attention of both Cloud and Celes. "We need to get moving, no telling when one of our enemies are going to show up."

Cloud nodded and began to move, Celes coming from behind him. Kain had just returned to the group, no particular change in the stoic Dragoon, with a spear in hand he began to walk with the rest of the group.

* * *

The Warrior of Light stopped his movement to gaze around. He and his two allies were now on a bridge of some sort, steeling himself, he began to walk once more, but then stopped again.

He stopped in response to a loud sound of… laughter?

"So, the Warriors of Cosmos at last arrive!" A voice suddenly boomed, the three Warriors tilted their heads up to the building at the end of the bridge. Standing on top the structure was a man dressed in red.

"What? Does my voice strike such fear that you're speechless? Why not even a cry of 'Show yourself!'?"

"…" The Warrior of Light paused at the question from the figure. "We can see you." It was a struggle to not sound sarcastic as the words left him, a few drops of weak sarcasm were still rooted in his words.

"What? No you can't."

"But…" this time Cecil was the speaker. "You're standing on top of the building in front of us. You're in plain sight, and kinda… um, stick out."

"Oh! So you seem to have noticed my masterfully picked hiding place."

The three Warriors exchanged glances with it's other.

"Yes. Very masterful." The Warrior of Light's patience was beginning to wane. "Come down and face us, and if not, then leave us. We have no time for such tomfoolery."

"Ha! You think you can just dismiss me? Perhaps you need to learn who you're dealing with!" The red figure walked to the edge of the building, soaring high in the air, and then descended. "I am Gilga-YAUGH!"

Gilgamesh misaimed his jump, rather then land firmly on the bridge, he plummeted off the edge with a short scream. Shortly thereafter, the splash of him hitting the water could be heard, promptly followed by a rush of water shooting up from where he had fallen in.

_This is the enemy this time around?_ Cecil pondered.

Vincent shook his head.

_I can't believe I'm thinking this but… I miss Garland._ The Warrior of Light felt the cool perspiration of water from the splash coming down on him. _At least Garland could take himself seriously._

The three continued to walk, until they had almost reached the building Gilgamesh had been on top of, and then they heard another sound of water. They turned around just in time to see Gilgamesh land on the bridge, soaking wet.

"I meant to do that." He responded calmly, "Now, let me try again. I am Gilgamesh! En Garde!" He charged forward with a spear, the Warrior of Light summoned his sword, disregarding his shield for the moment and blocked Gilgamesh's first blow, letting his sword and his body absorb the full blow. For the first time in this encounter the Warrior of Light began to take this seriously, now caught off guard by how hard Gilgamesh's attack had been. With a concentrated effort, he forced Gilgamesh back.

Vincent pulled his gun out and fired a series of bullets, which Gilgamesh easily dodged with a roll to the side, and with a jump to dodge Cecil's blade. With a smile, Gilgamesh dove back down, almost landing on Cecil, he might have tried to attack the Paladin right then and there, if it weren't for pillars of Light erupting from the ground.

Dodging once more, the pillars went about their way, and he struck again. Charging at the Warrior of Light, who had since summoned his shield to himself, Gilgamesh ignored both Vincent and Cecil.

Which would prove to be an error.

Vincent dashed forward, his speed out-pacing Gilgamesh's, when he managed to get in front of him he twisted around and pointed his gun straight at Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh attempted to dodge, but the bullet struck him in the chest. His armor deflected the attack, but the sudden impact disoriented him briefly, allowing Cecil to take on the form of the Dark Knight and unleash a force of Darkness from his palm and into Gilgamesh's back.

Gilgamesh was sent flying through the air, then rolled across the ground, until slamming into the stone rail on the side of the bridge.

"Ow… okay, you're stronger then I thought." Gilgamesh began to stand back up.

"Do you want my help?" A voice responded to Gilgamesh's statement.

"Huh?" Gilgamesh looked around in confusion, "Oh, it's 'ol Narche."

"…my name is Eald'Narche, Gilgamesh." Another enemy, seemingly a young boy, approached from behind the Warriors of Cosmos. At his side was a taller man, General Leo. "I've been watching these three for some time, but your display, Gilgamesh, was too painful to just keep watching."

"Hey…"

"We came to lend aid, Gilgamesh." General Leo interjected before Gilgamesh could take any more offense. "Let us support you, our chances of victory increase in a three against three."

"Um, well, okay." Gilgamesh nodded. "But if anyone asks, I took them all down with one hand tied behind my back."

"Say what you will, you know the others will know what transpired here." Eald'Narche gave a cold smile, thinking back to the endlessly _aware_ Mateus, among others.

General Leo gripped the sword on his side and slowly slid it out of it's holster. "You are men of virtue, I wish it didn't have to be like this." He held his ground, not rushing forward to meet one of his enemies. He closed his eyes for a moment, then brought his sword in front of him.

The Warrior of Light, along with Cecil and Vincent, turned their backs to each other and bunched together, creating a position where all three of their enemies could be seen.

"The tides have turned." The Warrior of Light noted, turning his head to the left and right to examine each enemy.

"Isolate them." Vincent spoke, "Turn it into three different one on ones."

"There isn't a lot of room on this bridge, if we try to separate them, some of the battles will spill over."

"We don't have the time to come up with a better plan, Cecil." In this situation, the Warrior of Light opted to go with Vincent's suggestion. "Everyone pick someone to attack."

* * *

**Please review.**

**I, meanwhile, shall busy myself with the story of the thirteenth cycle, even if I already know it. Tsk. Hope I unlock something good for doing 13 again. Though the level adjust system makes me have to actually pay attention, the story is going to be same-old, same-old, even with the new text.**


	25. Imperial Scheme

**Well, I've beaten the 013 story, and, yes, even the secret story, and in turn, I've unlocked Feral Chaos.**

**Secret story was a pain, if only because it's never entirely clear where you're supposed to be going. Oh, and you have to fight Feral Chaos twice in the story, first time he has around 56,000 health, and the second time it's 126,000 health. Ow. At least it was party battles. In those two fights, I discovered that Garland is an exceptional anti-Feral Chaos character.**

**I'm quite glad that they came up with brand new quotes for all the characters to speak, weather they be introductory quotes, victory quotes, or defeat quotes. I'm also pleasently surprised that the characters have two different quotes for Chaos and Feral Chaos.**

**You know, I'm actually surprised by the whole 'warriors have no memories of their worlds' plot point, I never got the idea that the Warriors had lost their memories in the first Dissidia. I had figured that WoL was the only one who got hit by that.**

**As of right now, my sole focus is grinding PP for all the costumes. Feral Chaos' alt will likely wait for a while, that 3000 PP can be better spent somewhere else.**

**Speaking of costumes, it's amazing how much more patience I have for Vaan once you put a shirt on him.**

**Hm. It somewhat bugs me that there are player icons from XIV in the game, but no XIV characters. They could have used Zulvan or Travanchet. (Though Travanchet has done almost nothing in the plot, just stealing the 'key' from Y'shtola) There weren't enough new Chaos Warriors in the game anyway, even if they weren't from the same game, a XIV villain could have opposed Lightning**

**Yes, there were XIII icons in the last game, but those were accessed with a code, the XIV icons are recieved simply by buying them in the PP Catalog.**

******Speaking of new Chaos Warriors, they had considered Eald'Narche or Kam'lanut to be in from XI, but went with Prishe. Leaves me with mixed feelings for her inclusion. Her personality can be a bit... grating. ('Welcome to pain-ville!')**

**Anyway, on to my story.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"What's your take on them?" Firion asked of Cloud. Motioning his head toward Celes and Yuna, Kain being elsewhere at the moment.

"The new Warriors?" Cloud shrugged. "They're valiant warriors, even if their hearts don't seem to trust Cosmos just yet. I'm not sure if I did at first."

"Then… we give them some time? The last thing we need is for them to run off thinking their way is better."

Cloud nodded his agreement. In the last war, everyone had struck off on their own, intentionally or not, at one point or another, but with the number of participating warriors now increased, it was hard to consider that a good idea. "If the other warrior from their worlds could have a talk with them about that subject, maybe they'd be more willing to respect Cosmos' will." His eyes closed as he turned away, "I doubt they would openly rebel against Cosmos, but…"

"What are you two doing?" Cloud opened his eyes to see Yuna and Celes having walked up to him. Cloud noted the speaker to be Yuna, and not for the first time was he mildly surprised that someone who knew Tidus to the extent that she obviously did had such a different personality.

"Just discussing some tactics." Firion answered. A half-lie, but… it would be prudent to not let Yuna or Celes know that they had been talking about them specifically. Sowing a seed of suspicion and doubt in these two would do little good. "We should get moving, where's Kain?"

_Oh, probably conspiring with the enemy, of course._

Firion paused, even after making only two steps. A quick glance around to the faces of the others confirmed that they had also heard a voice.

With a flash, a graceful silver-haired man appeared behind them, the Warriors twisted to the origin of the voice.

"My, such defiant expressions, and to think that I came here to help you."

"You, you're Kuja." Firion spoke, more so to offer identification for Yuna and Celes. "Why would you help us?"

"Maybe I'm just in the mood." Kuja had turned, tilting his head to keep his eyes on the Warriors of Cosmos, just in case one of them got impulsive regarding the presence of a Warrior of Shinryu. For the time being, he focused his eyes on the two… fresh ones. "I came to warn you that you're dear friend, Kain, is plotting to betray you."

"Kain?" Firion raised an eyebrow. "I've seen enough of him to know he won't do that."

"Oh, you know him so well in your short time with him?" Kuja laughed weakly. "Even the closest comrades don't understand each other's heart, and I suspect that I understand him better then you."

* * *

_A presence._ Kain scanned the area around him, seeing nothing of particular note, but he could _feel_, there was something here. A presence he had not felt since…

_Golbez? No, what I'm feeling is…_

"How long has it been, dear earthling?"

"Zemus." Kain spoke, his emotionless voice broke to allow a hint of anger through a crack. "What do you want?"

The Lunarian phased into view, a smirk on his face. "Do I sense anger, why, you owe everything to me. Was it not thanks to me that you could act on your impulses, your desires?"

"Be silent." Kain responded, refusing to even allow himself to think about the subconscious desires that Zemus had brought to the surface in the past. "I'll have nothing with you, I-" he suddenly paused. The back of his head seemed to began to rapidly throb, "Wait, what-"

"Why are you resisting?" Zemus again smirked as Kain began to clutch his head. "Blind loyalty is far from a difficult lord and master. You chose it once, you'll do so again."

Kain sank to one knee from the pain assaulting his head. "I… refuse to have anything… to do with… you. "

"Your attempts at resistance are admirable. Pointless, but admirable. Perhaps you need to be reminded of the strength of my psychic powers." With one solid wave of energy, Zemus crushed Kain's defiance all at once with a simple, almost childish ease.

The pain ebbed to nothing, Kain slowly got back to a standing position, no trace of strain, reluctance, or any form of emotion touched the Dragoon's faith.

"Return to the Warriors of Cosmos, I shall call upon you when the time is right."

"Yes… master… Ze…mus." A weak and feeble resistance still lingered somewhere, deep down, so deep as to be non-existent. Certainly nothing that Zemus would ever consider a threat.

* * *

"Ah, tragedy, one of my favorite type of productions." Kuja smirked at the Warriors of Cosmos before him. "I trust that, the next time we meet, you'll regret having forsaken my… concern for your well-being." With a final laugh, already picturing Kain's lance coated with their blood, Kuja lifted into the air and darted away before any possible attack could reach him.

"That was… Kuja, you said?" Celes kept her eyes trained about, prepping for a possible sneak attack. "What should I expect from him in a fight?"

"Kuja is a schemer." Cloud noted, "He'd go to lengths to prevent himself from actually fighting, and when he does, he'll be evasive, tactical, wearing you down."

"We shall handle him simply enough, when the time comes." A another, thankfully familiar, voice spoke up. The Warriors turned to see Kain walk up to them.

"Kain, one of our enemies just showed up, but… he didn't even try to fight us." Yuna summarized, "He said that you were… planning to betray us."

Kain tilted his head at Yuna, his face betraying nothing of his inner reaction to the statement. "Let us not dwell on the enemy's words, unless we can prove that they speak the truth in some other way."

* * *

"I see that you would choose to fight me." Eald'Narche smirked at the Warrior of Light, even as he felt the Ancient Magic beginning to focus in his palms. Elsewhere, Cecil had engaged Leo, and Vincent focused his attentions on Gilgamesh.

"Before we begin, I want to ask you something."

Eald'Narche raised the eyebrow of his right eye, "What would you inquire of me?"

"Though I doubt your tongue would loosen so quickly… who has restarted this cycle?"

A brief twinge of amusement rippled through Eald'Narche at the thought of revealing such information. Yet he had little choice but to restrain himself, invoking a Divine Dragon's wrath would have been… he shook his head of the thought.

"I'm afraid it is to my… benefit, to not reveal that. When _he_ wants you to know, he will make his presence known."

"He?"

"The one who shall lead me to the Gate of The Gods, and I'll leave it at that." Slowly, Eald'Narche began to float a few inches off the ground, "I have given you the best answer I will give, now, I will free Cosmos of such… pitiful and useless Warriors." Eald'Narche's hands began to glow with magic. The Warrior of Light pointed his sword straight at the Zilart Prince.

Eald'Narche made the first move, quickly and smoothly a casting of Quake was completed. The ground beneath the Warrior's feet began to crack and rip open, but he simply took to the air, continuing his approach.

The Prince responded with Flare, sending a flurry of super-heated globes of flame in his enemy's direction. The Warrior of Light's shield took the brunt of the flame, absorbing the force of the attack as the flames failed to reach their intended target.

The attack did succeed in forcing distance between the two, the impact on the shield forcing the Warrior of Light back through the air. Landing upon the ground, he immediately began to charge again. Taking to the air again, he was beset by a Tornado spell from the prince, but he managed to dive back down to the ground before the wind could suck him away, and charged at Eald'Narche once more.

The distance closed to a concerning level and, in a moment of mixed reflex and perhaps a slight moment of panic, Eald'Narche responded by casting Burst. The electrical attacked surged from above, but the Warrior of Light simply out paced the attack, and with one movement, bluntly slammed his shield into Eald'Narche's cheek.

The prince's body responded by moving back from the force of the attack, but only skidded a few inches back. Not injured to any particular extent, he immediately cast Quake again. This time, as the earth snapped, it created a chasm between himself and his opponent.

"I must admit, your approach is harder to stop then I anticipated. Yet your Light cannot save you from what is to come." Summoning the Ancient Magic once again, he prepared to cast Freeze.

* * *

In the guise of a Dark Knight, Cecil swiftly approached General Leo, his sword, Deathbringer, clashed with Leo's weapon. Yet, to Cecil's surprise, Leo simply forced Cecil's sword back, and then he simply came at him again. Given only a moment to make a note of Leo's seemingly superhuman speed, after their blades clashed only a few times, it seemed clear that Leo was the faster.

_I need… Hallowed Light._ At once the grip of Darkness left Cecil, and a Paladin took the place of the Dark Knight. Leo took a step back as the transformation took place, only to be surprised as a Paladin, whose movements far out-paced the Dark Knight, suddenly lunged at him.

Having thought that victory would be obtained relatively easily, Leo was caught off-guard by the speed that his enemy now laid claim to. A moment ago Leo had been pressuring, yet not he was forced on the defensive, and he was giving up ground.

With a grunt, Leo managed to make their swords solidly connect and force Cecil away. Breathing heavily from the high-reflex encounter, Leo allowed himself to move to a more defensive stance. To his relief, the assault seemed to have weathered his opponent down as well, but not quite so much.

Requiring to end the fight immediately, Leo readied Shock. As Cecil lunged again, Leo released a mass of magic energy, catching Cecil in the blast, wracking his body with pain. A… feeling of regret poked at Leo at the sight of the Paladin, a devout holy warrior, being harmed at his hand, but that feeling went away when suddenly his attack ended itself. In the Paladin's place was, again, the Dark Knight.

Cecil fell to the ground and charged once more, though slower as the Dark Knight, Leo's surprise at having his attack negated opened a glaring hole in his defense. Cecil took advantage, with his sword brimming with Dark Power, he wielded the power of Soul Eater as he struck Leo, leaving a gashing blow across the general's chest as the Darkness was summoned into his other hand, and then thrust forward. Leo was sent away on the wave of Dark Energy from Cecil's other hand, crashing painfully against the rail, it was a wonder the rail held him.

As the wave ended, Leo fell down on his back. After a moment he began to stand up, his legs wobbled from the stress and pain that was coursing through his body, at first only able to hunch as he rose, he stumbled as he began to straight up. He had been struck only twice, but it would seem that it had been enough.

Gripping his sword, he eyed Cecil… only for his opponent's movement to suggest… restraint? Reluctance? Regardless, his opponent wasn't approaching. If Leo had been in better condition, he might have been able to turn the battle around, but as it stands now…

* * *

"What's with all the red? Trying to copy me, are you?" Gilgamesh taunted, eliciting no response to Vincent. "I mean, I can understand completely, guys like me, you just want to copy-WHOA!" A bullet from Vincent's gun zinged past Gilgamesh's head, startling him enough to make him fall backwards. "Hey, you should always respect someone when they're giving expository banter."

"Just… fight." Vincent fired another bullet, which was dodged. Gilgamesh summoned a large spear to his hands and tried to rush forward, but the gunfire proved to make advance difficult. Rolling, dodging, Gilgamesh began to close the distance.

"Ha! Looks like your attempt to stop the greatest of swordsman… fell… um… short…" Gilgamesh's bravado faded away as Vincent's body began to transform, taking the shape of the Galian Beast.

The very first motion was to charge forward, possibly hoping to gore Gilgamesh on its horns, Gilgamesh ran away, his back to Vincent, as he scrambled up the building at the end of the bridge.

"I've got the higher ground. What're you gonna do now, huh? Huh?" Gilgamesh taunted, only for the Beast to jump up, its appearance molding back to Vincent, and before what occurred had even completely registered, Gilgamesh was looking into the barrel of a gun. In a reflexive action, Gilgamesh moved to the left, and traded being shot in the head for being shot in the shoulder.

"Ow-ow-ow…" Gilgamesh clutched at the injured shoulder. "Oh man, this is much more painful then I'm making it look."

Vincent landed with balance upon the roof, he spun to the left and pointed his gun at Gilgamesh again.

"Um…" Gilgamesh was, again, looking down the barrel of a gun. "Wanna call it a draw? I mean, I'm such an incredible enemy, don't you want a chance to fight me again?"

Without speaking, Vincent shot again, forcing Gilgamesh to jump back.

"Okay, if it's gonna be like that." Gilgamesh tensed up, then suddenly turned tail and ran away. "Hasta la bye-bye!"

* * *

The Warrior of Light easily bounded over the crack in the bridge, Eald'Narche attempted to respond with a Blitz spell from above, the lightning descended, but again, missed its intended target. The Warrior of Light came forward and, taking his sword in hand, swung firmly at Eald'Narche.

The prince felt the blade touch the skin of his face, but no more then that. He immediately jumped back. He smirked at the ineffectiveness of the attack. "Was that supposed to be a crippling blow? Perhaps you should ask the Gods to-"

He suddenly paused as he felt some kind of liquid begin to flow down his face. Another second passed and all of his attention was focused on a stinging from his face that began to besiege him. Slowly, hesitantly, he brought his hand up to his face and pressed down on the skin before pulling back.

"Blood?" He beheld the contents of his hands. "This is… my… blood?" He gritted his teeth as he turned his attention back to his enemy. You will… pay, for this."

_That will have to wait, I'm afraid._

"Gah…" Eald'Narche fell to a knee from the pain he was suddenly going through, but even through the pain he could recognize the voice. "Kuja, you're supposed to be-"

"I already relayed that message." The Genome mage answered the not completely spoken question. "I was just on my way back, until I saw your idea of fighting, perhaps you need my help."

"I…" Eald'Narche briefly choked. "I don't need your help to win."

"Win?" Kuja smirked, "I'm going to help you escape."

"I don't need your hel-" Eald'Narche's words were caught off mid-sentence as Kuja's hand fell on his shoulder. Without delay, Kuja released a Thunder spell through Eald'Narche's body. A small cry from the prince was followed by his head slumping forward, along with half of his body, Kuja's grip on Eald'Narche's shoulder being the only thing that prevented him from collapsing onto the ground.

"I trust there will be no more complaints, then?" Kuja laughed with a low pitch, then focused his gaze forward. "Leo, Gilgamesh, return to our… land."

"No argument from me!" Gilgamesh ran by Kuja, only a few inches from ramming into the mage. Leo limped by Kuja, injured from his own fight.

Kuja turned his attention to the Warriors of Cosmos, the three of them having bunched together when he and Eald'Narche were talking. "I suppose you feel good about your 'victory' today. Celebrate while you are able, things shall soon become far less comfortable for you." With one final laugh, Kuja dissipated, taking Eald'Narche with him.

* * *

Golbez paced through Shinryu's stronghold, Divinity's Core. His midnight armor creating the intimidating aura that resulted in many of the others giving him his space. Though the Emperor and Exdeath were plainly aware of his true intentions, they were making no attempt to punish or kill him. Perhaps they thought that he still maintained some use to him, or maybe their tolerance of him was a result of Shinryu.

Whatever the case, he continued on his way, trying to determine Shinryu's precise desires. A 'true' war, it was an odd desire, one Golbez could not claim to fully understand. Shinryu… wanted to _see_ something, but whatever it was, Golbex could not claim to understand. Perhaps it was that that made him mortal, and not a divine being such as Shinryu.

Golbez paused as his ears began to pick up a sound. Small talking, he turned in the direction of the sound, the speakers being in clear eyesight. The three imperial… henchmen, Gabranth, Zulvan, and the Dark Knight, seemed to be discussing something. His curiosity piqued, he attempted to focus his attention on the three, but he could only make out small bits of individual words, and the discussion was wrapping itself up, seemingly not because they had reached some agreement or deal, but because another Warrior of Shinryu approached.

The Dark Knight immediately knelt down at the sight of Emperor Mateus, whereas the other two merely turned to the man at his approach. His curiosity piqued even further, Golbez began making a clear and obvious approach to the scene.

"Zulvan, Gabranth, and even my own Dark Knight." Mateus acknowledged all three of them. "I have an assignment for you, I wish to see the individual capabilities of all three of you."

Of course, he already knew what Leon, the Dark Knight, was capable of. It was just his way of including a more… reliable pawn, in his latest scheme. "I wish to test the resolve of one of the wandering groups of pawns of Harmony."

"You wish us to simply find and strike?" Gabranth asked.

"Yes and no." Mateus answered. "Among this group you are to target specific members, you will split them up, and fight with all your strength against those I order you to fight. Attack one I do not assign as your target, and you will regret it for your little remaining life."

Not one of the three flinched from the threat, to the satisfaction of Mateus. "Now, let me detail your targets. We shall have to move quickly, Xande and Kadaj are already targeting this group."

* * *

**As I play 012, I do believe that I can incorporate the 'world map' in this story. Which will be much preferable to having the characters always be in specific areas.**

**Please review.**


	26. Night

**Thanks to a most generous repetition of exp bonus days, I've gotten everyone up to level 100 in 012. (Even Feral Chaos) Though I'm still lacking a bit in character equipment. Now my focus is on AP grinding.**

**My 'best' in regards to the new characters is a toss up between Kain and Prishe.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. (Though it has come to my attention that I do effectively own the OCs, the Vana'diel Hume and the Eorzea Miqo'te)**

* * *

Night had fallen. In this artificial world where warriors fought battle upon battle, the moon now rose, a crescent moon on this night.

Yet, the night afforded no calmness in this world, two separate groups of Shinryu Warriors were targeting a single group of Cosmos Warriors. As of now, that very group was innocently unaware of this crucial fact as they made the decision to settle down for the night.

"Augh, I can't get it started." The Onion Knight groaned, frantically rubbing two sticks together to start a fire. "Why can't I just use Firaga or Flare?"

"We're in the middle of the woods, kid." The Hume noted as his head tilted slightly upward, "You'd set the whole place on fire."

"Don't call me 'kid'!"

"Then what should I call you?" The Hume simply sat down on a rock at the base of an effective cliff.

"Try 'The Onion Knight'."

"Onion…" Luneth smirked, "A real inspiring thing to name yourself after."

The Onion Knight sighed as he kept rubbed the two sticks together, the two sticks were getting worn down, but he didn't think they were even close to catching alight so he could toss them into the pile they had set up. "I don't want a pitch black night…"

"Scared of the dark?" The Hume spoke indifferently. "I figured you were old enough to be above that."

"I just think a light is useful." The Onion Knight calmly retorted, refusing to be baited. He continued to rub the sticks together, until eventually one stick accidentally slipped out of his hand. "Dang it."

He reached a hand out to grab the stick, but when he was leaning over a voice suddenly called out.

"What are you doing?" The sudden voice almost startled the Onion Knight, he turned around to see the Mage of Light, along with Terra and Vivi.

"Just trying to start a fire. It's not coming so well, since _you_ won't let me use Firaga or Blaze."

The Mage of Light regarded the complaint for a moment, but the little knight wasn't done yet.

"What are we supposed to do without a fire? We can't cook, can't warm up, if it ends up being a cold night then in a few hours we won't even be able to see anything." The little knight complained, even as the Mage walked up to the collection of sticks that were going to work as the fire. "I mean, this night won't be pleasant unless we can get a fire going, so how should-wait, what are you doing?"

The Mage nonchalantly pointed a single finger at the sticks, and promptly unleashed a single weak Fire spell. The sticks caught on fire, generating the heat and flame that the Onion Knight had spent nearly an hour trying to do.

For a long time no one said a word. At least two minutes of an awkward, almost painful, silence passed as the fire began to eat the sticks, until eventually the silence was broken by a snicker from Luneth.

"Do. Not. Laugh." The Onion Knight growled, staring at the fire in continued disbelief.

"What you did took less then a second." The Hume observed, directing his comment to the Mage of Light. "That's just cruelty to children."

"Let's not get into a fight over a simple Fire spell." Terra spoke up, "The fire's there, but it doesn't look like it'll last long." The others took a second glance at the fire, the sticks that the Onion Knight had prepared were swiftly being devoured by the flame. Something bigger, thicker, like a log, would be needed to be thrown onto the pile. "Um… can you go get some?"

The Mage of Light nodded at the request and began to walk off, until something tugged on his cape.

"No, someone else can get it." The Onion Knight whispered, "Let's see you start a fire by rubbing sticks together."

"That's awfully petty." The Mage answered, "And I was just asked to-"

"Oh, don't worry, you can indulge him." Terra cut him off, swooping in before the discussion had even the slightest chance to become a battle. "Can you go instead?" She directed this to the Hume, swiftly he was on his feet and ready.

As the Hume left the Mage sighed, taking the two sticks in hand that the Onion Knight had been using earlier. Swiftly he began to rub them together, slowly, then a little faster, and faster, before he had been rubbing them together even a full twenty seconds, they caught on fire. The Mage calmly tossed them into the campfire.

"I… you…" the Onion Knight stammered at the sight. "Fine, just… stay away from me tonight." He stomped off.

"He… doesn't like being shown up, does he?" Vivi asked, Terra nodded. "Um…" Vivi directed his attention to the Mage of Light. "How did you manage to rub them together that fast?"

The Mage looked at Vivi, then in the direction the Onion Knight had walked off in. Then began to speak in a half-mumble, half-whisper, "It's called the Haste spell."

His eyes met with the others one by one as another awkward silence began, but whereas the last was broken by Luneth snickering, this one was shattered by a weak laugh from Terra.

"It must be incredibly tempting to use magic like that." Luneth said.

"No, not really that tempting. I already had Haste cast on me." The Mage responded, "I doubt I could have cast the spell right there without someone noticing, and the basic Haste spell doesn't really speed you up that much."

"Sure looked like that spell sped you up a lot." A voice cut in, the Mage sighed as he recognized it as the Onion Knight's voice.

"No, not really." The Mage waved his left arm across his field of vision. "Dispel." At once the Mage began to glow blue, freeing him from the effects of the Haste spell. He then picked up two random sticks from the ground and began to rub them together, notably slower then the last set, but still rather swiftly. Rather then twenty seconds, it took only twenty-five for it to catch on fire, he casually threw the sticks into the fire.

The Onion Knight sighed and plopped himself down on the ground. Scooting forward just slightly to warm himself on the fire, Luneth also got up close to the flame, Vivi, Terra, and the Mage seemed to prefer a bit more distance as the wait for the Hume's return continued.

The Mage sat down near the base of a tree, and for the first moment, noticed it was amazingly quiet when they weren't talking. Of course, the Warriors were the only ones who would be wandering around, this forest at night was home to no buzzing insects or wandering beasts. The utter lack of sound was almost… unsettling.

He raised his left hand up and removed his hat, leaning his head against the bark of the tree as he laid his hat in his lap. The others might of thought he was planning of going to sleep, but his eyes began to open and close at random intervals. With the fingers of his right hand he began to quietly 'play' with the feather in his hat.

Terra began to inch closer to the fire, keeping half an eye on everyone else there, the Mage leaning on the tree, Vivi just… seemingly pacing around, whereas the Onion Knight and Luneth seemed to be involved in a conversation. She smiled softly as she presumed that the conversation between the two was probably fairly juvenile, for all his maturity, the little Onion Knight was still… 12? 13? She actually didn't know.

After pacing for some time, Vivi walked over to the Mage of Light. Taking notice, the Mage leaned forward and placed his hat back on his head, turning to the younger and smaller Mage.

"Um… I was, just wondering…" Vivi groped for the words he wanted. "That spell you used to start the fire, it's a pretty weak spell, right?"

"Yes."

"But you're a very _strong_ mage."

"I… dislike glorifying myself, but yes." The Mage raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding at what Vivi was getting at.

"Well, if you're a strong mage, shouldn't you always use stronger spells?"

The Mage of Light looked at Vivi for a moment, blinked, and then gave into a smirk. "No, not quite. Though my stronger spells certainly have their uses, it's better to not use them when I don't have to."

"When you don't have to…" Vivi pondered. "But, if you use your stronger spells, can't you end fights more quickly, with better results?"

The Mage of Light paused, his eyes drifting to the side, then they returned to Vivi. "That's only half-true, a cast of Blizzaga or Thundaga would certainly end a fight more quickly, the end results aren't always better." Vivi fidgeted, not understanding. Recognizing it, the Mage continued. "The stronger spells are difficult to use with precision, they devastate large areas, using them should be discouraged, because using them would bring about more harm then good."

"So…" Vivi tried to piece a proper statement together. "The stronger a spell is, the worse it is to cast?"

"Hm. Not quite that, but…" The Mage lifted his head up just slightly. He was starting to feel somewhat… tongue-tied, explaining this to a mage so much younger then him. "The stronger a spell is, the more risk is involved, more then just in the concentration and time required for the casting, some spells can become very unpredictable the second the spell has been cast, and what happens next is out of the caster's hands."

"But… you do have spells _like_ that, and you've _used_ them before, right?"

"Yes, yes I have." The Mage closed his eyes, no memories of his world would come to him, but he could somehow recall casting spells like the ones he was talking about. "However, that does not mean that I take pride or joy in having to cast them, they are cast through necessity, not amusement."

"So… basically, before a mage casts those spells, he needs…"

"Responsibility and awareness." The Mage answered, "Mages have more…" he suddenly paused, "Well, a mage _should _have more responsibility and awareness of their abilities then people with a more… practical style of fighting."

* * *

The night proceeded to drag on, Vivi seemed to have more and more questions. Most of which the Mage of Light answered simply enough, though things got slightly complicated when the Onion Knight and Terra entered the questionnaire directed at the Mage. The questions continued long after the Hume had returned with the logs.

Their intentions were innocent, just wanting to know the Mage of Light's take on the usage of magic, if only because he was by far the most experienced one there. Yet that didn't change the fact that from an outside perspective it looked more like an interrogation. For all the patience he had, the constant questioning he was enduring was beginning to exhaust him, until he finally suggested that he be allowed to sleep.

They were settling down for the night at the base of a rocky cliff, though the fire only permitted them to see a quarter up. They might have desired to see what was up at the top, because…

"Look at them, thinking it's safe to sleep." Kadaj smirked from atop the cliff, the Warriors of Cosmos easily spotted thanks to the fire still going. With Souba in his hand, the metal of the twin blades not reflecting the slightest bit of light, he entertained the notion of leaping down to kill them all at once.

"Not even a watch… they must think they're secure." Xande mused, stroking his chin, "And the children are with them as well." Yes, the ones who had fought Xande before were among the group.

"Let's kill them now."

"No, Kadaj." Xande reached out and firmly gripped the Remnant's shoulder. "We will attack at the time of my choosing, to reform the crystals, they cannot reform themselves if our enemies perish too quickly." His grip left Kadaj's shoulder, but his eyes retained a stern and threatening look. "Furthermore, even if we attack them when they're asleep, we are not advantageous in terms of number, better should we wait for an opportune moment."

Kadaj glared down at the Warriors of Cosmos for a moment, with a low growl from his mouth he turned away. "If I can't be allowed to do anything, I'll never prove my superiority to Sephiroth."

* * *

"Just ahead of us." Mateus stopped as he saw the light of a dying fire in the far distance. "The Warriors of Cosmos have taken to sleep."

"Sleep? This would be the best time to-"

"No, my Dark Knight." the Emperor refuted the suggestion before it was completely spoken. "The time to attack will occur once the sun has risen again. I will show you the precise time."

"You say you wished to test out our capabilities. What do we prove if the odds are slanted so completely in our favor?" Gabranth asked.

"Oh, I assure you, the odds will not be slanted in your favor, but I wish to see the Warriors of Cosmos separated, as you will be." Mateus responded to Gabranth's question, "Each of you will have a different enemy to face once the Warriors of Cosmos have departed from each other."

"How do you plan to make them depart? They are hand-in-hand." Zulvan noted, "Separating them would be a lesson in futility."

"Ordinarily, that would be correct, but sometimes a more sudden occurrence can give close allies no choice but to separate, even if for a short time." Mateus closed his eyes as a wicked grin was born on his face, already making it clear that he had formulated the entire process he would need to separate these Warriors of Cosmos. "You shall attack when I command, neither sooner or later, and we must make our move before Xande and Kadaj do."

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**You can expect some stuff to happen next chapter, but I do want to focus a bit more on character interaction with the new Cosmos Warriors at the moment.**

**Please review.**


	27. Unwilling Warrior

**Nothing to really talk about 012-wise this time around. I cleared out the PP Catalog 100% and I'm now focused on AP grinding, along with some KP grinding.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, barring the OCs, Vana'diel Hume and Eorzea Miqo'te.**

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Divinity's Core proved to be nothing short of a safe haven for the Warriors of Shinryu. The Warriors of Cosmos could not, at this time, even be aware of its existence, and even if they did, reaching it could never be a successful venture.

Yes, as long as they did not have any particular duties to pertain to elsewhere, the Warriors of Shinryu could fall under the Divine Dragon's protection. Though, one Warrior of Shinryu seemed to be repulsed by this.

Vayne paced his way through the stronghold Shinryu himself dwelt in. It seemed some celestial prank that he, who had struggled for the liberation of Ivalice from the hands of gods, would find himself called to serve another deity. It was a disgusting reality, but he did not entirely surrender himself to these feelings of bitterness.

He could take a certain strength from this bitter feeling, a certain drive, ambition. Something that those who… gleefully, went into Shinryu's services would never attain. Vayne smirked as he made a small gesture to move his hair out of the way for a moment, he was far from even beginning to formulate a plan, but his wheel had already begun its movement.

"I see that the schemers enjoy their solitude." A voice spoke, derailing Vayne's in-place vision for how things would end. Irritated, more irritated that he hadn't realized someone had come so close without him noticing, Vayne looked over his shoulder to find a man with silver hair.

"Sephiroth." Vayne was, he had to admit, curious about this one. Whereas Vayne had gone to great lengths to try and let history be directed by man, Sephiroth had made his move to eradicate mankind in his world for the sake of some celestial near-deity. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Without speaking a word, Sephiroth walked right past Vayne, then stopped, leaving their backs facing each other. "I would advise you lay your ambitions to rest, it took endless cycles for Mateus to formulate a way to bring what he, at the time, believed would be an absolute end, and look at the outcome." Sephiroth chuckled a moment, "Shinryu has come to create a new cycle, and now more warriors then ever before are participating. Finally…"

Sephiroth slowly turned his head to the side. "You are perhaps the least of our… schemers."

Vayne briefly contemplated attempting to strike the man who had no relevance to his desires, but restrained himself. Merely turning around to address Sephiroth more directly. "I suspect you underestimate me, my plans will be grander then theirs, and this world will see a new Dynast-King."

Sephiroth paused for a second, and then a smirk formed on his face. "Your plans will amount to nothing as you are now, especially as Shinryu presides over us."

"When my power comes to me, even Shinryu will be put to rest."

Sephiroth's smirk faded, "I see, so that is your desire. Know now that Shinryu is far from the Occuria you knew, to face and defeat the Divine Dragon is far out of reach for a simple ruler of men." Returning his gaze to the forefront, Sephiroth's eyes gleamed cruelly. "The position I desire, is far grander."

Vayne considered what Sephiroth might have been referring to, but ultimately dissuaded himself from the conversation. Yet before he could even begin to walk away, a voice called.

Vayne!" Both men turned to see a figure, easily determined to be Beatrix, walking up to them. "While Mateus is away on an assignment, our direct movement will be handled by Ultimecia, and she has something for you."

"Really now?" Vayne raised an eyebrow, "What could the Sorceress of Time desire with me?"

"I don't know the details for your assignment, let alone mine. All I know is that my assignment doesn't involve fighting, just some scouting." The words were laced with a clear bitterness, Beatrix, it was clear to Vayne, would prefer to be fighting. "As for you, Sephiroth…" Beatrix turned to the swordsman, "Ultimecia says you have 'free-reign', she's confident that your indifference to the Warriors of Shinryu and the Warriors of Cosmos allows you to be safely unmonitored."

"Really…" Sephiroth chuckled softly, "Then perhaps there is something I would like to see out there."

* * *

"Looks like the walk's going to be boring for a while." Maria groaned at the precept of a long boring march. "It doesn't hurt for things to actually happen once in a while." She briefly lifted her left leg off the ground, the muscles telling her exactly how much they had been walking, too much. A little kick of adrenaline would have been the ticket right now.

"Oh quit it." Shantotto interjected, "Try to rush ahead, and you'll just fall into a pit." Maria turned to glare at the diminutive mage, but decided against saying anything.

"We should stick together, at least until we can determine what those guys are capable of." Zell spoke, referring to the enemy. "I've known some projects that resulted in some near-misses because someone wouldn't stay put like they were supposed to."

"Oh, right." Maria responded with no enthusiasm. "Aren't you a precious little boy-scout."

Zell didn't even blink, "I'd like to rush ahead myself, I'll have you know. However, sticking together is for the good of everyone right now."

"Oh come on." Tidus spoke as he walked up to them. "I fought in the last war, there's nothing those guys have got that we can't handle."

"Ah, such confidence your experience has brought." Shantotto smirked at the Ace, "Perhaps you forgot Cosmos saying that this will be unlike anything you have fought?"

"Um… well, we all fought at the very beginning, we should know what it's like already."

"Surely we do. The day they face me is a day they will rue." Shantotto spoke, and for a moment, Tidus was not sure if she had just conceded the point. "However, I didn't last in previous wars without being able to plan, if we just barrel in we'll be cooked worse then a Flan."

"So…" Maria scratched the back of her head, "You don't think we'd last if we tried to strike them directly? I doubt they have anything on the Palamecian military."

"Don't mistake me. Any one of them who challenge me will be defeated, you see." Shantotto smirked as she brought her staff out, "My reasoning for staying in a group is for your sake, on your own you all would surely just bake."

"Hey." Zell took some offense at the last line. "I can handle myself, I'll have you know." He cracked his knuckles as he smirked, "Trust me, someone comes up, and I'll destroy them."

"Ah, so you do want to rush ahead." Maria's expression brightened, seeming to believe that she had been given some room to breath. "Why don't we? There's nothing to do here, anyway."

"I would like to actually get to the fighting, believe me."

"Well, Zell, wish granted." Shantotto focused her attention to the area in front of the group, where a thin blue circle had materialized on the ground. A brilliant flash appeared for a moment, heralded by deep laughter, then faded, leaving a large armored individual behind.

"One of our enemies?" Maria reached an arm out to the side, summoning a bow out of the air, "It's about time."

"Cosmos' pawns…" Exdeath grunts at the sight of the smaller creatures in front of him. "What would be your reason for being here? Do you desire to resist, or accept?" A deep chuckle interrupted his words. "The Void would be ready for the… additions."

"Oh, come on." Tidus summoned the Brotherhood to his hands, "You've already used all those lines, seriously."

"Humph." Exdeath released his grip on his sword, letting it spin through the air for a moment before the tip of the blade came to a rest, pressing gently into the ground, his hand gripping the hilt. "Your insolent resistance will grant you no reprieve from the Void."

Exdeath's words were answered by a sudden flurry of arrows from Maria, wooden sticks with metal tips proved to be a form of attack childishly easy to diffuse. With a simple flex of his magical energy a whirlwind erupted around him, intercepting the arrows, tearing them to shreds, and flinging them away.

"So… you're apparently still doing the whole 'fighting without really moving that much' business." Tidus chuckled to himself.

Exdeath made no response, merely gathering energy in his hand, rearing back, and unleashing a blast of white energy at the blonde Blitzball player. Tidus easily spun to the side, and then tried to dash toward Exdeath, but the knightly mage simply summoned a blue shield in front of him, Tidus' sword cut effectively bounced off of it, and Exdeath made his move, unleashing another blast of white energy, this one struck its intended mark, scorching Tidus and throwing him away.

"Tidus!" Zell suddenly yelled, then, with gritted teeth, charged at Exdeath. Fists at the ready, with Exdeath's attention focused on the blonde soaring through the air, he failed to notice the second blonde closing the distance. Or… so it seemed.

When it seemed like Zell would succeed in striking him, Exdeath swiftly turned toward him and held an arm out, freezing him on the spot.

"Augh…!" Zell cried out, "What… the…?"

Exdeath laughed at the sight of the SeeD caught frozen in his charge, mere moments away from striking his intended target. Slowly, Exdeath began to clench the fist that was freezing Zell, in response, Zell could feel his body start to collapse on itself, and yelled at the sudden agony.

This might of continued for a moment, until the air around both combatants suddenly chilled. Momentarily confused, Exdeath weakened his grip on Zell. After a moment to recollect himself from the attack, Zell immediately looked up to something… above Exdeath.

Without a wasted second, Exdeath teleported away as a huge shard of ice plummeted to where he had been standing.

"Well, well, need a little help, Zell?" Shantotto, the maker of the ice shard, smirked, until the sound of teleportation came from right behind her. The TaruTaru turned around to see Exdeath towering right over her.

"That spell was of considerable strength… but none can match the Void's true power." As he finished the sentence, Exdeath unleashed a weak shockwave out of his body, the wave of energy easily threw Shantotto back, back to skidding halt by her allies.

Shantotto, Zell, Maria, and Tidus rounded together to form a line of sorts, summoning another laugh out of Exdeath.

"Be of good cheer, mortals. You shall be welcomed into the Void, and spared from what is to come."

* * *

Ultimecia quietly walked up to Shinryu's throne, his white-robed avatar still seated on the throne, he had almost been entirely immobile since the war began.

Of course, he had no interest in taking an active role in the conflict, she was well aware of that. He would just sit there, observing everything, his role in the conflict was about as relevant as Chaos' had been. Even so…

"Shinryu, my… master." A false bow filled with transparent sweetness. "I have your Warriors conducting the next step of the war, though it will take some time before the condition of the war changes."

The hood of Shinryu's robe lifted up, but nothing could be seen, save a black mass. At this, Ultimecia realized that she didn't know if Shinryu had a flesh-clothed vessel inside the robe, either way, he acknowledged her words.

"The conditions of the war… will not change until the crystals are reformed." Shinryu corrected her, gesturing toward the fragments of crystals floating in the air above them. "This war is not about death…"

"Then… what?" Ultimecia asked, her curiosity piqued.

Shinryu fixed a glare on her face for a moment, then his head sunk down, resuming the 'dormant' position that he had been in ever since the war had properly begun.

"Merely focus on your duties, reform the crystals, it is where the trials begin."

"Trials?"

Shinryu did not answer her, dismissing her with a wave of the hand. Without another word, Ultimecia disappeared in a red wave of energy, seeing that Shinryu would not indulge any of her questions. leaving the dragon by himself.

He briefly raised his head once more, a deep sigh escaping the area a mouth would be on a normal human. He could feel Ultimecia's ambitions, laid out naked and bare before him, all her hopes and desires, an existence where everything worships her, such a plan he would anticipate for someone with such… short-sighted vision.

_I warn you, Ultimecia._

_I warn you, Mateus._

_I warn you, Vayne._

_I warn each and every one of you, my chosen Warriors._

_I am nothing like Chaos. As your kind will soon discover._

_For even the most well laid out of plans can be crushed by fate's cruel, uncaring arms._

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**Please review.**


	28. Conflict of Beliefs

**Disclaimer: I only own OCs. Now go away.**

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Walking through the open plains had its way of giving some people a feeling of odd contentment. Between the fresh breeze and the rich air, steady ground and clear path, it was a most preferable path for some people.

Yes, some people would have their breath taken away at the sight of the clear unobstructed blue sky, like some male bird displaying plumage for a mate. Some people would have loved to just sit down and wait, mesmerized by the open plain's simple pleasure.

However, the Miqo'te was not 'some people'. Having lived most of her life in Gridania, a forest city-state, with select small portions of time away from it, the plains left her feeling over-exposed, and, in a way, vulnerable. Her tail twitched skittishly as she pined to be around some form of woodland, or perhaps a nice brook with nearby bushes, but all that her eyes registered was short grass as far as the eye could see.

She blinked and squinted her eyes, for her companions this was likely a nominal time to be able to see, but the sun made things too bright for her. Her eyes… really preferred darker lighting.

"What are you doing?" Ashe inquired from behind. The Miqo'te blinked again, then raised a hand to her forehead in an attempt to block out the sun's glare.

"Trying to see what's ahead of us." She answered as Ashe come up right beside her. "I hate this place."

"Hate it?" Ashe raised an eyebrow. "This place doesn't seem negative in any way, it's a gentle plain, so-"

"I prefer the woods." The Miqo'te responded plainly. "It's where I was raised, I can't be comfortable when I'm not somewhat close to a nice tree line or a meadow. Not to mention near some shade, I can't stand this heat."

"My kingdom is located in the middle of a desert and there are plains to the side. It always feels the sun."

"A desert? That is the last place I would ever choose to live." The Miqo'te took her hand down and turned to Ashe. "There are only two places I can feel comfortable in, in woodlands, and places near water."

This time Ashe blinked. "Woodlands or near water?"

"I live in a place called Gridania, it's a city-state located in a forest. I can't picture myself living anywhere else." She closed her eyes as she began to smile, Ashe knew, the Miqo'te was happily remembering her past days back in her own world. "However, there was one time where I had to go to a place called Limsa Lominsa." She paused, opening her eyes up to an expression of confusion from the Dalmascan princess, she continued, "Limsa Lominsa is a city-state built on top of a set of islands, I went there once, but I just couldn't be content in the middle of the city. I stayed on the pier for most of that visit."

"I see." Ashe responded. "So, you live in a forest." pausing, an idea struck the princess, she decided to ask a question. "So you… live by your own will? Not directed or guided by anyone but, say, your elders?"

"Um…" The Miqo'te fought the urge to look to the side. The question was far from expected, and it felt like the start of a series of probing questions, but, she decided to offer the benefit of the doubt. "In Gridania, we live with the woods, I mean, we live with the Spirit of The Woods. We live by our own will, yes, but we're guided by the Wood Spirits."

"Guided?" Ashe's expression changed to a more rigid, guarded look. "Don't you mean 'manipulated'?"

"I said what I meant." The Miqo'te responded, feelings of agitation welling up in the back of her mind. "The Spirit of the Woods guide us, they don't control us."

"Guiding and controlling can go hand in hand. Are you sure these Spirits are trustworthy?"

The Miqo'te forehead began to crease at the question, which was antagonistic at worst, and probing at best.

"Is the alternative better?" The Miqo'te said, not directly responding to Ashe's question.

"Not living a life based on the whims of some spirit or deity? Yes." Ashe answered, as if the answer was as natural as walking to her.

Aggravation began to build up in the back of the Miqo'te's mind. "Personal independence is a good thing, but tossing away the spirits that are helping you is just stupid."

"Stupid? You have to put aside the things you want to do to live within the boundary they create."

"The law does the same thing. So does any form of authority, spirits and deities aren't the only things that can seem oppressive. And just because you don't like them, it doesn't mean that your way is so much better."

"I am better then the gods of Ivalice." Ashe retorted, then suddenly looked to the side, her expression suggesting that Ashe felt she had spoken the wrong word. "That… is to say, I'm far less shallow then the Occuria."

"Occuria?" The righteous anger faded away for a moment as the Miqo'te raised an eyebrow. The thought of pressing the question as to what the Occuria were occurred to her, but then she turned to the other direction. "Whatever these 'Occuria' are like, I assure you that the Wood elementals we live with in Gridania do watch over us."

"How do you know?"

The Miqo'te's ears perked up, turning back to Ashe with a smirk on her face, though retaining a defensive expression. "Every tree, every branch, every leaf, every flower, we treat them as if they were people we loved. The wood loves us for that, and in turn, it protects us." She nodded, her smirk curving into a full-fledged grin, seeming to represent a belief that her way of life was justified against Ashe's logic. "The houses we live in look as if they were always there, a part of the woods."

"…and anyone who rejects this way of life is killed."

"Anyone who makes a point to go out of his way to anger the elementals will have judgment placed on them, yes. Though there's nothing stopping you from leaving if you don't like this life." Her features darkened. "I once had an insane couple of days because someone tried to disprove the elemental's existence."

"Crazy…" Ashe pondered the choice of word. As the princess' expression changed, the Miqo'te felt an odd emotion bubbling inside her. Was it… fear? "You mean, you spent a couple of days hunting him down and killing him."

"No!" The Miqo'te snapped, starting to lose her patience for Ashe's statements and questions. To her, it was growing increasingly obvious that Ashe had a lot of personal issues with spirits and deities. "Do you have a problem, Ashe?" She growled Ashe's name out, hoping to spotlight the fact that she hadn't referred to the princess with the proper title. Judging from Ashe's expression, the Dalmascan princess didn't really care, if she noticed at all.

"You don't know what I've been through." Ashe's voice sharply turned, taking on a hushed, almost threatening tone. The Miqo'te did not back down.

"That's the first thing you've said in this conversation that's correct, and just for the record, I don't care what you've _been through_. You are clearly using some isolated incident to condemn all spirits, and anyone who chooses to lives under them." The Miqo'te paused, a sound similar to a hissing coming from her, reflecting her feline characteristics. "Maybe you are, as a person, better then whatever spirits are from your Ivalice, but don't try to judge Gridania's wood spirits, or anything else from Eorzea, until you actually see these things for yourself."

Without speaking any further, the Miqo'te stormed off, scowling. Ashe contemplated going after her, but dissuaded herself, now having little interest in her in any sense. Instead, Ashe contented herself to wonder how the Miqo'te could possibly tolerate a life under beings like that. She crossed her arms, raging on the inside, she felt with absolute certainty that the Miqo'te possessed the traits that were exactly what the Occuria would have been looking for.

With an effort, she composed herself. This was not the time to form a grudge. She took a deep breath, the air here was particularly fresh, not quite so hot as it was in Rabanstre. She began to turn around, but froze mid-turn. Someone was right in front of her, not the Miqo'te, but…

"Feeling lonely?" Sephiroth smirked.

* * *

"Hey, is that a town?" The Onion Knight looked down to the area below the hill they were on. A set of buildings were erected.

"Yes. Though there won't be anyone there." The Mage noted, recalling the nature of the world. He also took note of the state the buildings seemed to be in, rather… dilapidated. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to examine it. We might find something."

"Like a better bed." Luneth chimed in. "That ground from last night was terrible." Luneth arced his back, making a clearly fake expression of pain as he mock-reacted to fake pains and cramps.

"I didn't find a problem with the forest's ground." The Mage said, honestly. "And we would have no reason to be there all day. The hours are ebtter spent moving, not lounging."

"We should… be moving, at least." Vivi spoke up, he scanned around him with his shimmering eyes, a bit uncertain in the direction they should go.

"I suppose there's no harm." The Mage said, seeming to be thinking more out loud then talking to anyone. "Very well, we'll see if there's anything down there." A small hand gesture to signal the others to follow him. The others walked past him, except for one. "Vivi, is something wrong?"

"..." Vivi paused, his eyes now locked on the desolate town. "I just... don't think going down there is a good idea."

"Don't think..." The Mage repeated, "Because you don't want to go, or because you think something bad is going to happen?"

Vivi paused. "I'm... not sure, I just... doesn't it feel like we'll go down there, and we'll be-"

"Attacked?" The Mage finished the sentence. Raising an arm up, he pressed a finger on his hat, raising it up to look above him. "Vivi, we're always in danger of that. Come on, we shouldn't allow ourselves to be left behind."

Vivi glanced down, seeing that the others were already putting distance between them. With a nod, he started to walk.

_Attacked? I wonder if he- maybe he does, maybe he doesn't._ The thought passed through the Mage of Light's mind. _I do know that I am well aware of the fact that _someone_ has been following us._

* * *

"Stay your hands." Kadaj and Xande both froze, turning their heads back, they witnessed Mateus walk up from behind them. "Though the display of insects such as yourselves attempting to prove your dominance over Cosmos' insects would prove deliciously laughable, I would test other insects first."

Mateus was standing by himself, the other three already elsewhere, beginning to prepare. Beholding the Emperor, Kadaj's expression was of mixed aggravation and amusement at the man. Xande's face, displayed contempt and disgust. Truly, the man considered people born into mortality to be inferior.

"Oh yes, Kadaj, it might interest you to know that I sense that Sephiroth has left Divinity's Core of his own accord. How will you prove yourself superior if you simply do as others, such as this one, tell you to do." Mateus smirked as Kadaj's face darkened. "You are dismissed from Xande's command, to do as you please."

After a small pause, Kadaj's body began to fade out of existence, Mateus knew exactly what Kadaj was planning.

"As for you, Xande." The Emperor turned to the dark skinned warlock, "I will have you assisting me in an… ambush of sorts."

Xande regarded the Emperor with a curious gleam in his eyes. "You would deprive me of a… relatively useful pawn, and then try to order me into one of your schemes?"

"You forget, Xande, that I have the insight that you lack."

"Insight?" Xande spat. "Someone born into mortality would dare lecture me about insight?"

"You once felt it, but no more. Ever since your master's curse, you lack the ability to truly plan."

Xande flinched, Mateus knew full well that mentioning his former master in any context got under Xande's skin, and enjoyed the sight of the now-moral insect becoming increasingly uncomfortable. "You want eternity back, perhaps you shall have it, perhaps not." Mateus took several steps forward, until he was right beside Xande. "I will assure you of this, if an insect like you tries to undermine my plans, you will be crushed like the worm you are. Your last thoughts will be acknowledging the foolishness in enraging me."

A silence passed between them, both seeming to study the other, a cool yet somehow lifeless wind brushing them. Mateus broke the silence with a chuckle.

"Now, come with me."

* * *

**Some nice references to XIV here, guys.**

**It's funny, I'm still trying to look into XIV, and trying to figure out how these things I discover might apply to the Miqo'te character. Recently I discovered that the Gridania city-state revere (and also fear) elemental wood-spirits that protect them. So I felt inclined to write the Miqo'te as a much more spiritual minded girl. Which... wasn't actually part of her character in the previous chapters.**

**I suppose I like how an OC can develop in ways that I didn't predict. Hm.**

**Actually, by my understanding, if you make your character a Gridanian in XIV, your character is presented as an adventurer that wandered to Gridania. My Miqo'te character is written as a native-born Gridanian.**

**Regarding Ashe, I've never actually seen any indication about what the heroes of XII think of guiding celestial forces after the events of the game. So I choose to write Ashe as being very cynical of living like that.**

**Please review.**


	29. To Be Tested

**A few days back, my dad decided to be awesome and bought me a Nintendo 3DS. It's a late Easter present of sorts. Came with "Rayman 3D", a 3DS version of Rayman 2: The Great Escape, one of my favorite N64 titles. Reminds me of why Ubisoft needs to stop spitting out the Raving Rabbids games and make actual Rayman games again.**

**Moving on, here's a new chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy. If I did, the series would die faster then flower selling girls impaled on twenty-foot katanas. I own OCs and nothing more.**

* * *

"Your power is purely meaningless." Exdeath challenged, summoning a defensive crest in front of him, easily deflecting both Maria's arrows and Shantotto's Flare. Tidus stood at a distance, and Zell also stood away, clenching his fists in his frustration at the futility of getting close to Exdeath. "Nothing you do will alter the fate of drifting ever closer to the Void."

Exdeath moved his arms into position, and began to slowly pry open a portal to the Void in front of him. Grand Cross.

A rift appeared in the air in front of him, a portal to a black space, the Void. "Fools. To have been eliminated from the new war so quickly, you are worthy of pity."

The rift began to suck in air, the Warriors of Cosmos found themselves skidding closer to the portal.

"This is not the way to end my life. I would sooner die on some thief's knife." Shantotto said, her pride undamaged, her assumption in her victory remaining unfettered. At once the air around her suddenly chilled, and several shards of ice flew away from Shantotto. Some shards were lost to the Void, but many others flew too straight and too swift for their trajectory to be significantly altered. One of the many shards scraped against Exdeath's leg, another plunged into his chest, and a third went into his arm.

The ice dissipated almost as quickly as it had come, disappearing into dismissive bits of powder which were quickly swept into the portal… which was now shrinking. Though Exdeath had barely moved, the wound had disrupted his attention just long enough for his focus on his Grand Cross to be disoriented for barely a tenth of a second.

Zell sprang into action. The portal shrinking, the suction weakened, and Exdeath motionless, it seemed as though a more convenient time could not come. He slide past the portal, the suction having grown so weak that never once did his feet threaten to lift up off the ground. Now in front of Exdeath, the warlock's arms suddenly moved to mount a more proper defense.

Perhaps with more time, Exdeath could have summoned a defensive crest, but he wasn't able to perform even this simple motion. Zell's fist collided straight with the left side of Exdeath's helm, throwing the armored destroyer back a single step, and closing the portal.

Exdeath could have easily returned the fight to what it was in its earlier stages, had not Tidus charged at that point. His sword swiped across Exdeath's chest once, then kick-flipped off of him. Exdeath flew back… right into Shantotto's awaiting Blitz. Lightning speared down, catching Exdeath perfectly, before then being struck by an arrow from Maria, catching him in the arm, then finally for Shantotto to catch him with Flare, igniting an explosion.

That attacks on Exdeath had lasted only a few seconds, but the damage was assuredly devastating. The Warriors waited for the smoke to clear, expecting to see Exdeath in a crumpled heap.

He wasn't.

Exdeath stood straight and tall as ever.

"An impressive display, but for all your coordination, you have merely inconvenienced me." For all the damage that last attack should have down, Exdeath appeared only marginally bruised, no limitations to his movement, no crippling wound to his leg, if anything, it seemed as if the attack had only dirtied his armor. "You fight with enthusiasm… I wonder what would happen to it, if you knew what you faced."

"What was that?" Tidus challenged.

"Naïve fool." A thing blue ring on the ground surrounded Exdeath. "Compared to him, the Void will be a blessed mercy." The ring began to flash and brighten, and then Exdeath vanished.

"Him?" Maria pondered, "Who was he talking about?"

"What do you mean 'what was he talking about'? He was talking about the guy we're going to beat, obviously." Tidus smirked, his weapon vanished, he punched his right fist into his open left hand.

"I suppose." Maria responded almost petulantly. "I'd rather be fighting Mateus, not these freak shows."

"Ah…" Tidus paused, "Listen, all these guys are bad news. Not just the ones from your world."

"I know that. It's just…" Maria's eyes turned sullen and downcast. "I…"

"I know what you're saying." Zell commented. "You've seen what they've done first hand, so it's more personal for you."

Maria fell silent, turning away from the rest of the group. "I want to take them all down, but… _he_ has to be among them."

* * *

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." The Onion Knight closed a cabinet in the building they entered, which was presumed to be an Inn. "I wish something was actually here."

"Wait… were you expecting something?" Vivi came up beside him, opening another cabinet, nothing but dust. The entire place looked as though it had been abandoned for years, most likely it had been in this war for a long time at this point.

"Hey, old places normally have something in them, don't they?" The Onion Knight said, turning around to walk away.

"I certainly wasn't expecting treasure." Luneth quipped, smirking as he placed himself on a chair. "So what is this, a rest stop for us? We haven't really fought anyone yet." There was a tinge of disappointment in Luneth's voice as he began to lean back.

"I'd be careful with wanting to fight." The Hume spoke up, he himself simply standing still in the middle of the room. His eyes now turned sulky. "Fighting… when you've fought as many battles as I have, you try to steer away from the ones you can avoid."

"Huh?" Luneth turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "How many fights have you gone through?" The Hume thought for a second, then shook his head. "You don't know how many fights you've been through?"

The Onion Knight walked up with a raised eyebrow. "Okay then, how old are you?"

"My age?" The Hume turned away. "I… I'm nineteen."

Luneth felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. "Are you kidding me? You're nineteen and you're talking like you're a veteran of a thousand fights!"

"I am a veteran of… many fights." The Hume spoke after an uncomfortable silence, his eyes darted around, for a moment he was desperate to focus himself on something and not close them. "I moved from simple training matches to true combat at age fifteen, yet in my admittingly short four years of fighting, my trails have been… anything but normal."

"There… there are no certainties in the life of a wanderer and warrior." The Onion Knight offered.

"It's not that simple. What I've seen, what I've fought, its far more then a few monsters and soldiers."

"Hey, we've all fought more then that, you know."

Yes, he knew it. He knew it plainly well. "I know. No one here is an amateur. Yet, the conflicts I've gone through… I won't presume them more grandiose then anyone else's struggles, but they've left their scars."

He nodded, more to himself then to them. His mind flashing to a certain memory…

* * *

The Mage of Light wandered to the other end of the room. Leaning back against the wall, he brought his hands up in front of his chest, the fingers of one hand a few inches away, he felt the flow of energy through them. Not magic, but instead…

"Light." He breathed, as a shimmering orb of white energy materializing in his hands. His head sinking down to the Light as strands of weak light broke off of the orb to slither around his fingers. He smiled to himself, the force that came to his aid in battle, the thing he depended upon to aid him. His all. This is the only thing he needed to force himself to keep moving, to inspire him if his hopes were being thwarted, one by one. With this, he could never be contravened.

"It's… precious to you, isn't it?" The Mage raised his head to see both Terra and Vivi. "The other person from your world, when he's surrounded by the Light, he looks so… calm."

"It's not just he and I who feel so uplifted with this, Terra." He motioned with his fingers, and the orb of Light shrank down, then separating into two rays that began to float freely around them all. Terra and Vivi attempted to follow the rays as they floated around, only for the rays to suddenly descend on them, seemingly colliding right with the chests of both of them.

The Light seemed to somehow wiggle into their hearts, but their was no discomfort. None at all.

"It feels so… so warm." Terra spoke, smiling to herself as she placed her right hand over her heart. "Like I'm at the place where I belong."

"I… I…" Vivi stood almost mesmerized by this new feeling. "I've never felt so… at peace."

"Light." The Mage stood up erect. "The Light's strength is here for us. There is no trial to attain its strength, no great secret to it." He placed both his hands over his chest, his gloved hands pressing firmly into the red cloth.

Already the sensation of the Light in them was dying away, becoming just a spark dwelling in their hearts. Perhaps that was okay. They, at least for a moment, had felt so… content.

"There are so many things I wish I could ask you, but even during this moment of rest, now is… not the time." Terra's eyes went downcast. The Mage nodded at the gesture. Terra returned her eyes to the Mage's, "Can I at least-"

That was as far as Terra got with that sentence, the ground between Terra and the Mage of Light suddenly cracked open, and a large pillar grew up out of the ground.

"What-" The Mage managed to say as the pillar rose and pierced through the ceiling. Thick enough to be a wall between him and the rest of the room.

"What in the-" The Hume spoke before dashing forward on instinct, his eyes caught the ground right beneath Terra starting to crack open as well. Grabbing her by the wrist, he tugged her back before a new pillar could rise, possibly skewering her.

Vivi's attention was still on the first risen pillar as he took an uncomfortable step back. As he began to walk away backwards, Terra witnessed the ground again splintering, and he was about to be standing exactly where a new pillar would rise.

"Run!" She called, forgetting to mention who should be running, Vivi looked down, and then immediately turned around and dashed away. The pillar rose behind Vivi, another thick one, cutting himself off from Terra and the Hume.

"Get over here, Vivi!" Luneth cried, his cocky attitude suddenly disappeared. Reaching out a hand, he grabbed Vivi by the shoulder and brought him to a rest behind the Onion Knight.

Next came several tense seconds of shaking, Terra was having a struggle to keep herself from giving into panic. After some time the shaking abated, leaving the Cosmos Warriors separated into three groups.

"Did they stop?" The Onion Knight paused, examining the pillars, which, on closer inspection, were more like spikes. "These… look like something from Pandemonium."

"Pandemonium?" Terra repeated, "The Emperor's castle?"

The Mage of Light examined the pillar, summoning his rapier to his right hand he struck the pillar once, without as much as a dent. With a 'tsk' sound from his mouth he summoned Fira and blasted the pillar, which still accomplished nothing.

"Not destroyed so easily." The Mage surmised. "I'd recommend we attempt to regroup. How are you organized?"

"Terra's with me right now." The Hume turned to the half-Esper, then back to the pillar that was between himself and the Mage.

"Luneth and Vivi are over here." The Onion Knight had to yell, since the Mage of Light was on the opposite side of the room and behind two different walls of pillars.

"Try to find a way out. We'll… find some way to rendezvous once we're outside." The Mage ordered, he turned around. "Be prepared for a fight, there's obviously someone around here."

* * *

**Yes, the Vana'diel Hume is a nineteen year old, crazy, no? I'm putting him in that age to keep him close to age to a... certain other character from XI. I have my own little head-canon regarding the character.**

**Anyway, please review.**


	30. An Insufficent Amount of Power

**Disclaimer: Only own OCs.**

* * *

The woman simply confounded Squall. They had the same efficiency in thought processing, were highly pragmatic, even had vaguely similar weapon.

Though the only similarity was in the core concept. In practice, the weapons were different in nearly all fundamental areas.

She was also intent on disliking everyone involved in this conflict. Perhaps that was reasonable, since she was all but forced into this. Yet her dismissive self-dependent attitude was going to get her killed.

Squall was no stranger to depending only on oneself, he had done it for years, still does it to a degree, but it was good for someone to watch his back. This woman… she had good intentions, he could see that, but she was quickly proving to be an extremely unlikable person. Unless there was something else under that shell, and he was starting to doubt that she was going to let anyone crack that shell anytime soon.

Squall's attention was snapped to the present by the sound of mumbling ahead of the two Warriors. Tensing his body for an encounter, and mentally chiding himself for getting lost in thought, he quickened his pace, preparing to summon his Gunblade at any moment.

He turned to Lightning and made a quick gesture expression towards her. She nodded in response, she could work cordially and effectively with others when the situation called for it, at least.

The approach was slow, making a strong effort to not be detected. The two slowly closed the distance, finding a woman, who seemed to be seething.

"This is absurd." Beatrix said out loud, seemingly unconcerned that someone might hear her. "The Warriors of Cosmos are separated, we don't need scouting, we should just go out and fight. What kind of fool is Ultimecia?"

Lightning paused, then sighed to herself, to Squall's utter shock she began to nonchalantly walk toward Beatrix, who was obviously one of the enemy.

"Seems we've found a wandering grunt." Lightning said. Squall came up beside her, glaring at her with a harsh reprimanding look, which she either ignored, or didn't notice.

Beatrix cringed at the dismissive adjective. "Who dares to call me a _grunt_?" Beatrix turned around, her sword firmly in hand, eyeing the two Cosmos Warriors. "Who are you two?"

"Does it matter?" Lightning asked, "You've just been designated a target."

"You are a fool to treat me so dismissively." A cocky smirk creased her face. She focused her gaze on Lightning, but did not ignore Squall either. "To me, you two are little more then insects."

"Stop talking." Squall coldly responded. "Don't waste breath with speeches, if you're going to attack us, then attack."

"Oh, so you want to be first, is that it?" Beatrix began to move to a battle stance, a sword pointed directly at Squall, bracing her muscles, she-

"Don't hog all the fun, Beatrix." A voice came from behind. Like the speed of a cracking whip, she spun around, it was… Seifer.

"Go away, you miserable failed SeeD, these two are my diversion."

"You shut up." Seifer responded with a smirk, holding Hyperion in his hand, turning his glance over at Squall, his rival. "You took so much time returning, that we had to come look for you."

"We?" Beatrix asked, puzzled.

"We." A female voice answered. A flash of red-colored energy faded into existence beside Seifer, before dispersing to reveal the Cloud of Darkness. Followed shortly thereafter by appearances by Seymour, Eald'Narche, Kefka, and, repulsing Beatrix the most, Kuja.

"Acting outside of orders?" Kuja smirked, Beatrix felt her skin crawl in revulsion. "Perhaps you should be reminded of how merciful my punishments are compared to… some of our allies." Kuja turned his head, signaling out Kefka and Eald'Narche amongst those gathered.

"Oh… oh-ho…" Kefka smirked, sizing up the situation in front of him. "What? Forget the point of your mission?" His left hand snaked its way up, allowing his pointer finger to rest on top of his chin. "Forget what happens to the obviously disobedient? And they say I'm crazy." With the last sentence his voice deepened, creating an exaggerated feeling of disappointment.

"More concerning to us…" the Cloud of Darkness spoke over Kefka, "What do we do with Cosmos' pawns?"

"Shall we free them?" Seymour felt his lips curl into a smirk. "Free them from this cycle, from the chains of servitude to Cosmos, from the despair of life?"

"So be it." Eald'Narche answered. "They would be far from worthy to go into the realm of the gods."

"Killing, oh yes, now you're talking _my_ language!" Kefka cackled, slowly rising several inches off the floor, "Shall we begin fun-time?"

"Ah!" Lightning took her Gunblade out of its holster and stepped back, having expected a fight against one enemy, not six.

"Guess we have no choice." Squall summoned his own Gunblade, fearlessly and pragmatically recognizing the odds.

_Stop. _A voice, deep and raspy suddenly commanded before either side could make a move. A burst of necromantic energy appeared in front of them, in the space between Beatrix and her allies.

"Lich?" Eald'Narche raised an eyebrow. "Why should we stop?" He demanded, frustration bubbling in the prince's throat.

"You… have acting commands to not engage any Cosmos Warrior right now. You can not destroy them." Lich answered, keeping his hollow sockets focused on the two Warriors of Cosmos.

"What?" Kefka squawked. "Oh, come on, rags n' bones!"

Lich shrugged off the insult, keeping his eyes, or lack thereof, focused on the Cosmos Warriors.

"You may disrespect me openly," Lich spoke to Kefka, though he continued to eye the Warriors of Cosmos. "But shall you disrespect the order of the Time Witch, whom our… master, has allowed temporary direction of our operations?"

Kefka stammered, then shrank back behind his allies with a scowl.

"We shall leave immediate-"

"Hey, do you think you can just leave?" Lightning yelled, indignant, even if Lich's intervention had likely saved her and Squall's life. "I'll hunt you down."

Lich regarded her intently, unperturbed by her interruption before letting out a vile breath of air, condensing into a mist from his earth-hungering maw. He spoke, with chilling calmness in his raspy guttural voice. "What can a mere human, still restricted by fragile flesh, ever accomplish?"

"Why don't you see?" Lightning retorted, letting her Gunblade mold into its gun form, she fired a blurry of bullets. Lich calmly reached an arm out, and rocks ripped from the ground in front of him, hovering peacefully in front of him, the rocks blocked the bullet, not one getting through Lich's earthy defense.

Lich lowered his index finger, letting all the rocks fall down. He raised his head up, his skeletal face unable to convey his amusement.

"What-" Lightning began, cutting her off, Lich spun his hand so that his palm faced the sky, and thrust two fingers up and the other two pressed into his palm. At his command, branches burst from the ground and ensnare both of Lightning's legs, she struggled for a moment, then let out a yelp as thorns began to grow out of the vines, piercing into her legs.

"Do you understand, living filth? I can end you at anytime. The two of you are beneath my concern." Lich allowed himself the sadistic pleasure of Lightning's pain for a moment, then he relaxed his hand, letting the thorns retract back into the vine, before letting the vines sink into the ground.

Lightning's legs were covered with a large number of wounds and puncture marks, but it didn't seem to bother her, as she continued to stand the same as before.

"You cannot defeat us in your current state. No matter what principle, belief, or weapon you arm yourself with." Lich spoke implacably, "Learn the secret of true power, of absolute might, and someday you may be worth a fulfilling effort."

Squall took a step forward, anger brimming in his eyes. "Are you saying, disregard the things that made us…"

"Heroes…" Lightning finished.

"Naïve fools." Lich responded. "'Hero' is a label that cowards who tremble in their homes give to people. There are no heroes, only fools. Fools who cannot comprehend the futility in wishing, in dreaming, in yearning for peace and hope."

"It's never hopeless." Lightning spat back.

"Perhaps you have never seen the real world." Lich answered, "Perhaps, you shall realize the futility of hoping for a world free from my kind, when you see how ruined you will become, just as ruined as the rotten Earth beneath you."

Squall raised an eyebrow and directed his gaze down. "The land seems fertile, what are you-"

Lich raised both of his arms out, his hands stretching out of the decayed sleeves, lurching his head back as he suddenly took in a massive gulp of air. And, in a flash, the ground beneath them turned from fertile green grass to rotten dirt.

"The Earth is broken." Lich spoke, necromantic energies beginning to swirl around him. "Farewell." He vanished, and, one by one, his allies did as well.

"Consider yourself lucky," Beatrix spoke bitterly, "That our swords didn't cross today." She too warped out.

"That damn… ugh!" Lightning moved a hand across her legs, flinching as she touched the bigger wounds. "I'll make him see just how little hope he can take from me."

"Calm down." Squall cautioned. "We need to be able to react to them efficiently."

Lightning gritted her teeth, but with an effort, composed herself. "I know." She turned to Squall. "We'll take them all down, one by one."

"It's more then just the two of us." Squall noted. "But… despite my preference of being by myself, or in small groups, iy would be better to try and find one of the other groups, for now."

Lightning nodded at the words. They struck her as wisdom. But she also was against accepting the aid of others, many of which happily and calmly embraced what they were. As she began to follow Squall, she began to contemplate whether she should try to make contact with Cosmos. Yes, she knew full well that Squall was no fool, but he had no qualms with fighting for a deity, perhaps an actual discussion with the Goddess was in order, she had never directly spoken to her yet.

Her thoughts briefly wandered to Dysley, he... wasn't literally a god, though his role was comparable. For a moment she contemplates if she's being unfair in her judgement, that Cosmos was different then the Fal'cie. The thoughts are quickly shaken off as she quickens her pace to keep up with Squall. These were thoughts for another time.

* * *

"Oh, hey, you're back!" Bartz called, waving a hand at the Miqo'te, who smiled and waved back. Then he grew confused, "Wait, where's Ashe?"

"We… had an argument. She's probably still fuming."

"An argument?" Lenna interjected into the conversation. "What was it about?"

"Uh… for some reason she was repulsed by a certain fact about my world. She didn't let it go easily."

"What fact?" Bartz asked.

The Miqo'te sighed. "Okay, here's the long and short of it. In Gridania, the place I come from, we're guarded by Wood Spirits, Ashe, for some reason, was disgusted about it, and tried to make it a battle."

"You got into a fight about that?" Lenna's mouth hung slightly open in surprise. "We all come from different worlds, shouldn't we be able to accept that some of us live differently then others?"

"Without sounding self-justified or petty, it was Ashe who insisted on turning it into a battle. I would have been content to let her think the way she wants. She, however, kept degrading and insulting an entire country's way of thinking." The Miqo'te folded her arms behind her back, a small way to restrain herself as she took a deep breath in. "She… it was like she believed that only her way of thinking was the right way to look at the situation."

"Seemed a bit self-important of herself, huh?" Zidane's friendly, but somewhat irritating voice sounded from behind. The Miqo'te stepped to the side to let him pass. He came to a stop in the exact position where she had been standing a moment ago. "Guess, for a princess, you know…"

Lenna reacted to that statement with a crease to her forehead, glaring at Zidane, though with no explicit malice.

"So where is she now?" Zidane asked.

"I walked away from her, by now she's probably on her way back, and-"

A piercing cry flew thorough the air, resonating in their ears. The Miqo'te snapped around, "That came from the direction of…" Her ears drooped slightly, then sprang back up, "Regal trouble-maker!" She dashed off.

"Wait!" Lenna reached an arm out, but the Miqo'te was already gone.

"Hey, no time for waiting." Zidane said as he began his own pursuit in the direction of the scream.

"No, stop!" Lenna called out to Zidane, but he patently ignored her. Sighing, Lenna turned to Bartz, he looked back for a moment and shrugged his shoulder, before chasing after Zidane.

"We should have a more coordinated approach then this." Lenna mumbled to herself, but left with no other recourse, began to follow the three.

* * *

Little was there that could unnerve Golbez. For a man that had perpetrated slaughter, though not directly, and not of his own will, it was a lesson in futility to make him uncomfortable and uneasy. Perhaps the thought of Cecil, or those Cecil found precious could make him worry, but beyond that…

Yet despite this, he found that he was nervous. Few have been the times in his life that he had been so completely… unaware of what was happening. As he continued to pace around Divinity's Core, he contemplated everything around him, Shinryu, the new warriors, this… evolved cycle.

"Have much on your mind?" Golbez came to a halt at those words. He turned to see Garland, 'leader' of a sort under Shinryu, though he was not the one in charge of planning and tactics.

"I am merely contemplating the best way of how to proceed." Golbez responded, sensing a trap in Garland's words. "What have you been thinking, Garland? Perhaps about the possibility that this is the last cycle of the war you've enjoyed for so long?"

Garland fell silent, some small grumbles escaping his horned helm, but Golbez sensed that Garland had something he would say, and so opted to stand where he was.

"There are other cycles that exist, Golbez. If this world should perish, I will simply find another. And if I cannot…" Garland leaned his head slightly up, "I can simply start another, one that will allow me eternal combat and pleasure."

"That is your choice. The choice of a man who forgoes honor, and glorifies needless brutality."

Their second-in-command under Shinryu suddenly leaned his head back and laughed, loud enough for it to echo. "To be lectured by a man weak enough to be controlled to the purpose of uncontrolled slaughter…" Golbez winced. "…it is laughable, is it not?"

Golbez stood silent, as did Garland, both seemingly expected the other to speak up. This silence lasted a minute, then two. Finally at the start of the third, Golbez spoke again.

"I am aware of my… failings, Garland. I am aware of the actions I've perpetrated, actions that no sane individual would forgive. I am also aware of how you, and the others, now know my true… intentions."

"Indeed. But, so long as you don't overstep your boundary, nothing will come of that."

Golbez glared at Garland for a moment. What the knight had really meant was _As long as you do everything you're told to do, we won't kill you_.

"Your generosity is commendable." Golbez could take some pride in his ability to hide his emotions within his words. Garland merely made a small sound like a growl and began to walk past Golbez. After passing the armored warlock, Garland paused, ceasing his movement.

"Golbez, see to it that your manipulations don't interfere with Shinryu's machinations, otherwise…" he chuckled, half-turning to Golbez. "The being that has restarted the cycle again and again, do you wish to see him truly enraged?"

Golbez stiffened, Garland laughed a final deep laugh and began to walk away, Golbez remained motionless. He was motionless, and stayed motionless until he heard the sound of Lich and others beginning to warp back. As they began to appear, Golbez swiped an arm, dragging his cape along, disappearing into a black mist. For now he would simply continue to watch and wait, and nothing more.

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	31. Imperial Might

**Disclaimer: Only own OCs.**

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"Some kind of tunnel?" Terra looked around the rocky depths as she paced along, the adrenaline of the earlier moment already having faded. Her only companion at the moment was the Hume, who walked right beside her.

This shaft of some sort was decently lit, though still quite dark. Bright enough that Terra could make out who a person was at a distance, but apparently not well lit enough to see where the little potholes a person could trip in were located. Terra had managed to stub toes on both feet at various points during this walk, and it was starting to eat at her nerves.

The meek Terra was still a person, her nerves could wear thin, and she could get impatient just like anyone else.

"Secret passage." The Hume said as an answer to her question. Though, he suspected, she wasn't actually looking for an answer. "Hidden tunnels, like a secret hiding spot, or perhaps a smuggling route of some sort. This doesn't look like it came from my world, so it's hard to say what this particular tunnel is used for."

The Hume's answer had been simple, but as he spoke, his eyes were not on Terra, or even on the walls, floor, or roof of the tunnel they were in. His head turned slightly, his eyes were squinting, trying to focus on the area behind him. He was straining to see something, but the lighting was too weak for him to see far into the distance.

His ears, however, could pick up things his eyes didn't. He could hear a distant _clink-clink_ of metal, and it wasn't coming from his own armor. The sound his own armor was distinct, familiar, but this sound, coming from the distance, no, certainly not his armor.

"Terra, stop." He suddenly commanded, the girl did as she was told, though more out of confusion as to the reason why then simple obedience. The Hume brought a hand out and summoned his katana in a burst of light, he turned his head half-way, his eyes carefully scanning behind him.

"Humph." Came a voice in the distance. "Your perceptions are indeed impressive, hero." The sound of clinking metal grew louder and louder, until the Hume could see a silhouette in the distance. "Tell me, a man who has fought as many battles as you have, what is it that you hate more then anything else?" The figure approached until it wasn't just a silhouette anymore. A fully armored man, clutching a unique two-sided weapon in his right hand.

"Who?" Terra observed this man. He seemed to radiant malevolence as he came to a stop in front of the two.

"My name's of no importance. Merely another dog of a pawn… just like you." The man brought his two-sided sword in front of him, firmly gripped the left hand with the hilt, and separated his weapon into two swords. "The gates of judgment lay before you, and I am the gatekeeper."

"Dog of a pawn?" Terra raised an eyebrow.

"That was a threat of his." The Hume said, raising his katana into position. Gabranth charged at the Hume, the more ready target. The Hume met the charge, catching both blades on his own weapon, The Hume took a step back before forcing Gabranth away.

Gabranth was unimpressed by this single exchange. He took both of his weapons and charged again, this time unleashing a furious barrage of attacks. Each strike had the necessary bite to end a trained warrior's life, but not one found its mark. Some were dodged, others parried, and more directly blocked.

Terra stood a few paces away from the fight, trying to prepare herself for joining in, but found it… difficult. The two were right on top of each other, and every time Terra might of wanted to attack, she froze at the thought of accidentally hitting the Hume. She couldn't seem to summon anything precise enough to aim at just Gabranth. Until the Hume forced Gabranth's barrage a step away, and gave Gabranth a hard kick to the chest. The Judge staggered a few feet back, and Terra had her opportunity.

A cast of Blizzaga materialized in front of her, and the enormous chunk of ice immediately flew away from her. The air in the tunnel seemingly growing frigid by the presence of the ice shard, Terra came close to shivering as the ice neared its target. Gabranth, regaining his orientation and slashed his two swords, shattering the ice that threatened to strike him. An immediate threat removed, he turned back to the Hume. The Hume was dashing through the ice shards flying through the air, it proved a display of impressive reflexes and strength that Gabranth managed to block the attack, but he was forced to stagger back again.

"Enough." Gabranth linked his swords back together and charged at the Hume, who jumped back from the display. Gabranth took a step back and regarded both of his opponents. "You know war, you know battle…" he examined both of his enemies closely, then unlinked his weapon again. "I am ready for you, as my hatred of your kind sustains me, I shall not be defeated."

* * *

"Man, what's all this?" Luneth gazed around, some variety of impossibly large room. He stopped his walking to examine the area further. Dimly lit, he couldn't see the far distance, neither could Vivi or the Onion Knight. The other two were right behind him, and they, too, had stopped to visually study the chamber. A huge room in this cave, big enough for something monumental to happen in it. He whistled at the thought, but then his whistling was cut off by a sound, like an explosion, or perhaps a gunshot.

Without a moment to waste, Luneth leaped to the side as a small blue projectile flew past him. Vivi and the Onion Knight, not being directly behind Luneth, didn't have to dodge, rather staring in curiosity as the projectile whizzed past them.

"What… was-" The Onion Knight began, turning his head in the direction the blue orb had come from.

"Where did that…" Vivi pondered, then he realized he had seen that small blue orb before. "One of them." He said, somewhat fearfully.

"Them? You mean-" Luneth began to get back up as another small explosion sounded. Luneth immediately fell back to the ground, and this time the Onion Knight had to duck to avoid getting hit as this orb flew overhead. The Onion Knight got back up and, feeling rather aggravated by their apparently distant attacked, summoned his magic. Condensing it into Firaga, he unleashed the dense fireball away, arcing through the air, and impacting on the opposite side of the room. An explosion was triggered, and an exceptional amount of dust was kicked up.

"Good-" Luneth coughed through the dust, "Good idea." Luneth squinted his eyes as he offered the sarcastic congratulation, trying to see if he could make out any sign of their attacker. He could barely see anything save the clouds of dust, but he continued his effort peer through it, until the dust in front of him seemed to darken. Coughing for a bit, he waved a hand in front of him to move some of the dust away, but his arm struck something hard and sturdy. This was confusing, as he was quite certain that there was nothing solid directly in front of him. Then he heard a clinking of metal, and he reflexively ducked his head as _something_ swished through the air above him.

He jumped back, again noticing that the dust in front of him was darker then the other dust. However, he now noticed an outline to this darker dust, it seemed to form a… person? Someone with some variety of horned helm.

"You have been skilled to avoid everything so far." A voice that seemed to belong to whomever was in front of Luneth registered on the children's ears. "However…" it continued.

Before the voice spoke any further, it seemed to wait for the dust to settle, the former view of the dimly lit cavern began to return to all present, and Luneth tried to focus on where the figure had been standing a moment ago. The voice's owner wasn't there, not where Luneth had seen the silhouette.

"This is where it ends." The voice coldly ended. The Onion Knight raised his eyebrow, the voice seemed to be coming from… above. He looked up in the air, and his eyes widened.

"Vivi, look out!" The Knight cried, Vivi looked straight up in the air to see Zulvan descending on him. Vivi jumped back from the blow that would have sliced him in half. As he fell back, Vivi stumbled, losing his balance and dropping onto his back.

"I did not expect anyone would see my approach." Zulvan brought his Gunblade back to him as the children regrouped together. "No matter." Zulvan pointed his Gunblade at the three, and pulled the trigger, firing a single bullet at the three. They all jumped out of the way, and the Onion Knight began to speedily rush toward Zulvan. He swiftly closed the distance and tried to strike the Legatus with the Onion Sword, but Zulvan caught the Onion Knight's gut with his fist. The Onion Knight was forced into the air from the sudden punch, and Zulvan pressed his attack. He struck with the Gunblade, striking with the flat side of the weapon, throwing the Onion Knight back to his allies.

No…" Vivi muttered as the Onion Knight landed right in front of him. The Onion Knight was alive and conscious, but standing up might take a moment. Vivi brought his hands out, almost involuntarily a crackle of flame seemed to ignite on his gloved hands. The ember surged with ferocity, then died down to a flicker, before returning with renewed vigor. Vivi stretched his hand out and shot the flame at Zulvan.

Zulvan didn't move as Vivi's attack approached, instead opting to remain stationary, an obvious target. The flame approached with an accuracy that could be called grim, but right before it hit him, Zulvan raised his left hand in front of his face. The flame struck the back of this hand and exploded. Fiery air and smoke obscured the Imperial, and for a moment Vivi and Luneth breathed a sigh of relief, believing the fight over.

It was with displeasure that they noticed a figure standing in the smoke as the smoke and ash began to clear. Zulvan stood, in defiance of the result they had hoped for, and calmly brought his hand down.

"You are untrained, child."

* * *

An attack was imminent. He knew that full well. The Mage of Light closed his eyes as he slowed his pace, allowing his muscles and mind to relax in the face of the coming battle. In a burst of light he summoned his rapier, the light from this action illuminated the entire cave shaft he was in, and for a moment everything could be seen crystal clear.

And then he saw him.

As the light offered from his rapier summon began to die, the Mage saw a figure out of the corner of his eye. This figure stood quietly, defiantly, sulking in a darkened corner of the room. Though it stayed in the shadow, this person had a fierce pride, and did not fear discovery. It remained motionless even as the Mage of Light turned to him. Light should have reflected off of the figure's sword, but instead the light seemed to be swallowed by the weapon, corrupted into the raw power of shadow.

The Mage of Light realized in an instant. The figure in the shadow radiated with the power of darkness. He could feel his skin ripple, whether from the darkness trying to reach out to him, or his disdain for the darkness, he couldn't say. "Do you believe I don't see you?"

The figure, Leon the Dark Knight, responded with a low moan that made him seem more monster then man. Then, slowly, as if he was an elder haunted by pained joints, Leon walked out of the deep shadows he stood in. A dark sword in his hand. The detail and design of his armor painted him as a man with a dignified position, with the arrogant touch to his step, it was clear that he was a man who regarded defeat or failure as a stranger.

"So Mateus has led me to face a single opponent." Leon scoffed, looking down on the Mage before the first blow had been struck, already believing that the fight was, in a sense, already over. Firmly gripping his dark sword, Leon brought the weapon in front of him and placed himself into a fighting stance. "A fool that coddles the weak… how repulsive."

"Coddles?"

"You intervene, Mage." Leon began, his tone even and practical. "You protect, you save, you nurture. The coddling you perform in the pursuit of your 'Light' succeeds only in making the weak grow even weaker. Those who do not experience hardship on their own will never contemplate self-imporvement nor consider seeking their own strength."

"…and what would you do? Turn your back on those who need all the help they can get to simply survive?"

"To need help is simple weakness…" Leon scowled. Bracing himself to charge, "The weak have no reason to live. One must cut away those incapable of walking their own paths and leave only the strong behind. Only those capable of grasping the things they desire should remain."

The Mage of Light narrowed his eyes, not for an instant wanting to consider the sort of the world envisioned by the man standing in front of him. The Mage brought his rapier out, "I could never comprehend a society like that."

"I doubted you would, we come from different worlds, literally and metaphorically. You come from a land the congratulates showing your weakness in front of others, I have embraced the ways of power."

"Power." Leon repeated, saying the word slowly, implacably. "Power is first and foremost in life. And…" he tensed his muscles, then charged at the mage "…you shall see mine, first-hand!"

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	32. Silver Haired Swordsman

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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"I expected more." Sephiroth held the Masamune firmly in his hand. His stance was arrogant as he eyed Ashe, who had fallen to her knees in exhaustion, her hands, gripped on the hilt of the Sword of Kings, was all that prevented her from lying completely prone.

Ashe gasped for breath, then began an attempt to get back to her feet. Pulling on the Sword of Kings, she got off her knees and was standing again. Her body was littered with various small cuts and bruises, which, over time, had worn her past the point of simple exhaustion. In comparison, Sephiroth merely had his outfit dirtied in a few places.

_I…_ Ashe breathed hard as she, with some effort, lifted the Sword of Kings back up. _I have never fought a swordsman like this. _She looked directly at Sephiroth.

Sephiroth smirked and, with one swift motion, dashed forward with a speed that Ashe couldn't possibly react to. His right hand reached out and slammed into Ashe's left shoulder. Already wounded from battle, and now sensitive to touch, the sudden pressure on the shoulder made Ashe shriek with pain as she fell back, with the Sword of Kings flying out of her grip.

Efficiently, Sephiroth brought the Masamune up and pointed it in Ashe's direction. With one swift motion he could easily move forward and slice her open, end her role in the conflict. Yet he sensed something that began to take his attention away from Ashe. He tilted his head up, a new smirk as someone appeared across from him. This new person, at the moment, was more focused on Ashe then him.

"Ashe!" The Miqo'te was in clear view. She knelt down beside the princess. "Oh man, what happened to you?"

Ashe made a small groan, followed by a half-hearted attempt to point at Sephiroth. Miqo'te followed the direction of the trembling finger, unbending her legs and standing up. "And just who are you?" She summoned her axe to her hand.

"Who I am isn't important." Sephiroth said, turning his gaze on her, examining her closely, in a manner reminiscent of sizing up a meal. "I am the last thing you'll see." Holding the Masamune steady in his hands, he stood quietly in the distance, in a manner that seemed almost taunting.

The Miqo'te postured into a battle stance, "I believe that's my line." She suddenly charged in a straight line toward Sephiroth. Sephiroth turned his head, as if not paying attention as the Miqo'te approached, and then, at the last second, spun to the left, dodging the swing of the axe, and swung the Masamune horizontally. The Miqo'te ducked, evading the blow that might have otherwise decapitated her. She stopped her charge, turned, and flew at Sephiroth again.

He didn't make an effort to dodge this time, and instead chose to block the blow with the Masamune. The thin sword, somehow, held back the heavy axe, locking the two in a short stalemate.

After a moment, Sephiroth broke off from the stalemate as the Miqo'te tried to press the attack. Sephiroth spun behind her and administered a cut to her left elbow.

She grunted and pulled away, briefly placing a hand on the elbow to sooth the pain, then returned to a battle stance. She charged again, staying low to the ground, slightly more tactical with her approach this time, Sephiroth stood with a stance that seemed more casual then anything.

Her attack came, hoping to slash into a leg, disable his movement, instead he jumped up as the attack came, her swing swooshed only through empty air. She stopped and turned her gaze up, and raised her axe to knock Sephiroth's attack away from its intended mark.

She failed to literally block the attack, but what might have been a critical, disabling attack was instead reduced to a much lighter blow to her shoulder.

The Miqo'te cried out from the strike, administered to the same arm that already had a wounded elbow. She wasn't defeated yet, but she now had an arm that ached with pain in two locations, which would hinder her two-armed style of fighting.

Sephiroth came at her again, taking the Masamune into both hands in preparation for a more final blow. The Miqo'te released one hand from the axe, almost impossibly wielding it only with her wounded arm, and jumped to the left as Sephiroth's attack came. With the Masamune carving its way only through dirt, the Miqo'te attacked, taking the axe into both hands again, she swung at Sephiroth. The axe connected with his left arm, but only lightly, leaving a long, but shallow, cut along the arm.

He didn't cry or yell, didn't as much as flinch as he turned back to her. In her shock at how little damage she did, Sephiroth made one solid cut, this time against one of her legs, sending her falling down to one knee. Squinted her eyes from the sudden pain, she looked up at her opponent, who raised his sword arm, as if gravity deterred him more then the cut she had given him. She forced herself to stand, even with one leg injured, as Sephiroth came at her once more…

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"Zidane, slow down!" Bartz called out from behind the Genome. Running as fast as he could, he felt a mixture of marvel and annoyance with speed of the shorter Warrior. "Zidane!"

"No time for being slow." Zidane called back, quickening his already lightning-like speed, "Gotta see what's going on."

Bartz sighed as he ran, pining for the presence of Boko. He tried to quicken his pace, but couldn't precisely tell whether or not he was actually moving faster.

"Bartz! Bartz!" Bartz slowed just a smidgeon as he heard his name being called out, looking over his shoulder, he saw Lenna coming at him from behind. She wasn't closing the distance, just keeping steady with his pace, "Slow down!"

"I can't!" Bartz called back, "Can't let Zidane out of my sight." He turned his gaze back to the front and sped up slightly, he kept running, until eventually all three of them stood across from some particular individuals.

"Zidane…" Bartz's shoulders sagged as he invited a huge gulp of air into his lungs. "Are we… done with the… running?"

"I think we might be fighting now." Zidane coolly replied as he summoned his Mage Mashers. Bartz looked to the distance, and saw…

"Sephiroth." Bartz's eyed went wide with recognition. "No way… him?"

"Who's that?" Lenna caught up to them, breathing hard.

"That's Sephiroth." Bartz answered, "Watch out for that guy, some of the others are nothing compared to him."

"I understand." Lenna summoned her sword, then took another look, "Where's Ashe, and-ah!" She saw both of them. Ashe was lying on the ground, seemingly unconscious, and the Miqo'te was only a few feet across from Sephiroth, and even at this distance, she could see the wounds on her. The Miqo'te was backing away, trying to get some distance between herself and her opponent.

"Come on!" Lenna impulsively sprang forward past both Bartz and Zidane. "We have to help them." She rushed to the scene of battle, just as Sephiroth began to raise his sword for what would have been the killing blow. "Stop!"

Sephiroth paused, a mixture of amusement and annoyance at the interfering voice. He turned to the sight of Lenna, followed by Bartz and Zidane. He smirked as he ignored the Miqo'te, turning his attention to the newer, fresher targets.

The Miqo'te saw them, then fell to her knees as the adrenaline began to fade from her. "You… guys…" she spoke, "Why… are you…" she paused, as if suddenly realizing something. "No… g-get away… I've never… fought someone like this… before…"

"Don't worry, I can win." Bartz responded. "After all, I saw this guy fight in the last war." His words, though somewhat cheery, were serious as well. Having an idea of what Sephiroth was capable of.

"You… ungh…" The Miqo'te tried to protest, but felt too exhausted and wounded. After a moment, she passed out, falling onto her side.

Lenna took in the sight of the pain of both Ashe and the Miqo'te, both likely would be killed by this man without intervention. She turned to Sephiroth, her words solemnly serious. "Leave right now. I won't hurt you if you don't force me."

"It's not my well-being you should worry for." Sephiroth smirked, his only wound still being the strike to his left arm. Bringing the Masamune up, he assumed his fighting stance, "Worry about how long you can entertain me."

Lenna regarded the man, who seemed to be lacking any positive trait. Her eyes narrowed a moment before opening wide again. "If that's the way you insist on having it."

Sephiroth simply chuckled as all three charged at him. Bartz was first to reach him, summoning the weapons of the Warrior of Light and Squall in his two hands, he attempted to strike at Sephiroth, but Sephiroth merely took a step back, letting both of the weapons fall short of the intended target. He had no chance to counter-attack Bartz, however, as Zidane and Lenna came up on him. He slashed the Masamune at the two, forcing them to jump back.

Bartz leapt up in the air, letting his weapons disperse and calling upon Vincent's pistol. Bartz unleashed two bullets, zinging down at Sephiroth, both connected to the silver shoulder pad, Sephiroth grunted from mild discomfort, but was otherwise not harmed. He shifted his attention to Bartz, and swung the Masamune at him. Instinctively Bartz summoned the Warrior of Light's shield, and the shield Firion had, they took the blow for him, but the force of Sephiroth's attack also sent him flying away.

Sephiroth spun around in time to see Zidane jumping at him, spinning the Mage Mashers at high speed, hoping to cut at Sephiroth's chest. Sephiroth took to the air, sparing him from Zidane's weapon. He hung in the air for a moment, then allowed gravity to take him back down with lethal intent. Masamune in hand, he prepared to unleash a fatal stab down upon Zidane.

The Genome scurried away, letting the Masamune sink into dirt rather then skin. Sephiroth quickly pulled the Masamune out, then turned to deliver a hard kick to the approaching Lenna.

She dodged the kick, and her sword lightly bit into his chest. His expression unchanging, he swung the Masamune once, colliding with Lenna's sword as she attempted a second attack. She held onto the sword, but not her position, and was flung back from the force of his attack. Sephiroth turned his attention to Bartz, who was coming at him with Kain's lance. The lance connected with the Masamune, but then almost immediately dispersed into energy, and was quickly replaced by the swords of Celes and Tidus. Bartz pressed his attack, Tidus' weapon cutting into Sephiroth's gut, before Sephiroth reached out grabbed Bartz by the shoulder, spun around and threw him to the distance.

"Give up." Lenna ordered, "You're receiving wounds, and none of us will go down before you."

Sephiroth turned to her, then smirked again, bringing the Masamune up. "Perhaps… at this level of skill I might lose." His eyes were trained on her, calmly cold, with a bit of smugness in them. "But perhaps I am not truly exerting himself." With cold professionalism, Sephiroth made a demonstration of his skill, swinging the Masamune around him with lightning speed. Spins, thrusts, feints, slashes, Lenna's heart sank, and realized that Sephiroth had been toying with them the whole time.

_Bartz was right when he told me to watch out for this one._ She mentally noted. _But I won't let myself lose this fight. I won't._

Sephiroth ended his display, and adopted his stance, katana pointing at Lenna, Zidane, and Bartz. Zidane twirled his Mage Mashers again, gritting his teeth in preparation. Lenna, disheartened but still able, steeled herself for a round against a stronger opponent. Bartz dispersed his weapons, ready to summon anything at any moment.

"This might provide some relief." Sephiroth chuckled to himself as he prepared to charge.

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